Moving On
by Rescuemama2007
Summary: Will visits the coffee house to return Sonny's key. Emotions run high, and for once Will refuses to back down, but Sonny isn't ready to reconcile yet. Do they both know what they want? And is it the same thing? Can they make it work this time? Lots of WilSon angst. *My first fanfic. Reviews appreciated.*
1. Chapter 1

Will took a few shaky, shallow breaths before putting his hand on the door to the coffee shop. He had watched just seconds ago as the lights dimmed, and Sonny flipped the sign in the window to "Closed". Will had been wandering the square for a few hours, while closely keeping an eye on the coffee shop to make sure it was empty before making his entrance. As he gripped the door knob and turned, Will realized that he was trembling. It felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest and his stomach was doing cartwheels. He wasn't sure if this was visible from the outside, but he knew that there have been no other moments in his life where he felt so uneasy, so fragile, that he wondered if his body would ever resume its normal rhythms. He swallowed hard, as if to force back down every ounce of hesitancy that had kept him from doing this sooner. Will opened the door and introduced himself as he stepped across the threshold, "Sonny, it is Will. I'm just here to drop something off for you. Do you have a few minutes?"

Sonny looked up from the receipts he had scattered on the counter and met Will's gaze directly as he nodded his invitation. "Sure Will," Sonny said simply. As Will walked across the shop to a stool at the counter, he felt like he was moving in slow motion. That the simple 10 steps he normally couldn't wait to take to reach his working boyfriend now took over 50 very long ones wearing concrete shoes.

He pulled out the stool, sat down gently, and gave Sonny a half smile. "Thanks for seeing me," Will spoke softly and his voice cracked a bit. He cleared his throat, ready to push on, knowing that if he didn't do this now, he might never be able to. Sonny smiled, flat, his lips closed as Will stuttered on. "Th-This is yours." Will said and he placed Sonny's apartment key on the counter between them. "I know that you haven't officially asked for it back, but I figured it would be easier for both of us if I just surrendered it willingly." Will's fingers lingered on the key for a moment before he let it go for the last time. Sonny reached out and covered Will's hand with his very briefly before grabbing the key and putting in his pocket.

"Thank you."

"Sure. It is yours after all." Will attempted to lighten his tone with a chuckle and added, "Plus, I assume you'll be wanting to give it to someone else soon."

Sonny's head jerked lightly as he knitted his eyebrows and slightly opened his mouth to speak. After a pause, Sonny shook his head almost more to himself and said "That's not going to happen, Will." As Sonny shifted his eyes away from Will's, he turned quickly toward the back counter as if suddenly remembering something important he had to do. Knowing that Will wasn't buying it, Sonny looked back over his shoulder and asked, "Can I get you some coffee, Will?" Without waiting for a response, he poured a cup and set it down in front of Will. He loved strong, black coffee, but Will wouldn't be able to choke anything down right now - even straight ol' cup of joe. He really wanted to, though, because this is what Sonny always did when Will sat at the counter with him as he worked. He longed to be transported back in time to any one of those moments the two shared at the coffee house...before the wedding, before Gabi's announcement, and before he agreed to keep something this big from the most incredible, wonderful person in his life. Will wiped quickly at the corner of his eye and held on to the warm mug.

"Thanks," he finally said fiddling with the handle and biting his lower lip as if that could reign in the feelings that were bubbling dangerously close to the surface. Will took another deep breath and let it out slowly, calming himself down just enough to get through his next words. "I know, Sonny. I-I know, **I know**." Will said emphasizing the last. "You don't have to try to spare my feelings, we're not together and you have every right to move on. I was hoping this wouldn't happen...that somehow we'd make it through and come out stronger on the other side. But I realize now that it was ridiculous of me to think that. And so this is the only way I know of to acknowledge what I've lost while still retaining a tiny bit of my dignity." As Will finished, he pushed himself away from the counter and off of his stool. He was so numb that he didn't even realize how forcefully he stood up, and the stool toppled backwards to the floor with a loud, echoing thud. Frozen to the spot, Will couldn't even comprehend what happened much less move to pick it back up. Sonny quickly came to the center of the shop, grabbed the fallen stool and stood it upright.

Sonny started, "I'm not sure what you think you know, Will, but..."

"I know Sonny, so just stop! I saw you here last night. I saw you both together after you closed up. And I watched long enough to know that it clearly wasn't a quick unwanted peck. You walked off right in front of me, arms around each other. Besides, Brian didn't hesitate to visit me at the pub later to make sure I knew what an incredible experience it had been." Sonny couldn't, and frankly didn't want to, hide his shock as the reality of last night's events came rushing back. As Will's words sunk in, Sonny quickly and unevenly shook his head and walked over closer to the spot Will still hadn't moved from.

"Will..." Sonny said gently and Will interrupted, "Sonny, you don't owe me an explanation."

"I know," he sighed as he looked at Will, "I did kiss Brian. Last night after I closed the shop. I'm not sure how it happened exactly, but he was saying all the right things, being uncharacteristically compassionate, and he made me laugh a little. He made me feel good about myself at a time when my self-esteem had completely tanked." Sonny paused, watching for a reaction from Will, but he remained stoic, intent on listening. "We kissed, yes. But we did not sleep together."

Will sprang to life suddenly and bit off the end of Sonny's sentence, "Don't do this, please. Our break-up happened because I lied to you, so don't patronize me by doing the same thing. You don't have to justify your behavior to me - you owe me nothing - but I just ask that you don't treat me like a child. You sound condescending and it only makes me feel bitter and spiteful. So stop pretending, Sonny. I might be falling apart, hating myself and my actions everyday, but I can handle it. I'm stronger than anyone thinks." He raged on, "I'm aware that most of you think that I'm a pushover and a coward, but trust me, I'm learning really fast how to grow thicker skin."

"Will, I don't think you are a coward. Even during the toughest moments of your coming out, I saw how strong you are. What you did took an unbelievable amount of courage." Hearing words he didn't feel worthy of, Will could no longer keep his deepest feelings at bay and the tears started falling freely.

"I know, Sonny," he said apologetically, "and I'm sorry for saying it that way. You were really the only one who stood by me through everything. I guess that's why this is so incredibly hard, I feel like I'm not just losing my boyfriend, my partner and lover, but I'm losing the very best friend I've ever had...the only person who says they understand me and it's actually true. You are the most amazing person, and I feel so totally lost without you." Will sniffed as he finished and attempted to brush away some of the tears that had made their way to his chin. Sonny, not being able to resist Will looking so damaged, so miserable, reached up with both hands and wiped Will's cheeks, hoping that maybe his touch would help. With tears falling even faster now, Will tried to choke back a sob, but it only ended up sounding like the most heart-wrenching cry - so uncontrollable and anguished - like a mother who lost her child.

Visibly shuddering, Will finally whispered the words that were hardest for him to say. "I'm going to leave you alone, Sonny. But that doesn't mean that I'm quitting or giving up on us for good. I know now that if I want something, like wanting to be a part of my baby's life, I have to suck it up and be strong and fight for it. And even though I have only been in love once, I have seen enough relationships to know that what we have," Will caught himself, "had...doesn't come around often. We've only been together for a few months, but truthfully, I don't want to live my life without you. So, I will respect what you need...what you want...distance, silence, your new relationship but know that I haven't accepted that this is over." Will lifted his chin up just slightly and spoke in his full voice. "I've chickened out so much in the past, letting other people run my life. This time it's different, Sonny. And no matter how many people tell me to move on - including you - I'm not going to. Not until we get to try this again. So take the time you need and just know that my love for you hasn't diminished in the slightest, in fact, I love you more in this moment than I ever have." With those final words, Will took several steps back, confidently looking into Sonny's beautiful brown eyes filled with tears. He harshly wiped his own nose and cheeks clean, nodded slightly to the man he loved, and left.

As the coffee shop door shut behind Will, Sonny quickly walked to it and turned the lock. The last thing he needed was someone else popping in tonight - not his Mom, even his Dad, and especially not Brian. Sonny knew that he couldn't possibly finish the closing duties after all of that, so he threw everything together into a basket below the register. "I'll just get in early tomorrow..." he said to himself. His head was spinning, so many thoughts and feelings from the last week exploding in his head at the same time like a fireworks finale. Should he be upset and crying? Should he be grateful Will was the one to bring the key back to him? Should he lay into Brian for leading Will to believe they'd had sex last night? Sonny wasn't ready to choose any one of those options just yet, but he knew this for sure: he needed to be in his apartment, alone, with a beer and the freedom to feel whatever he wanted with no one looking on, constantly asking him if he's okay.

Sonny drove home on autopilot, not really knowing how he got from the shop to his parking garage. He padded slowly into the apartment and didn't bother checking his tablet for messages. He couldn't possibly absorb any more information if he tried. He turned his phone to silent, grabbed a beer from the fridge, sat on the edge of the bed and clicked on the TV. Sonny wasn't planning on watching anything in particular; he just needed some sort of noise to fill the cold silence that had taken over his place. He knew that he needed to deal with all the feelings he was having...to process what had happened and decide where to go from here. Last night his Dad said what Sonny had been scared to admit all along; things should be perfect for him - but would never be without Will.

As Sonny walked aimlessly around his apartment, he tried to focus on what he needed - what he wanted - what was best for him. Trying as hard as he could, he avoided thinking about all the special moments he and Will had shared in this apartment. Visions of their first time making love flashed in his head, and he couldn't stop those intense, desiring feelings from building up in his stomach again. He didn't just miss Will. He ached for him. It almost hurt physically to be away from him. Sonny forced those thoughts from his mind and returned back to the task at hand, taking a few seconds to chuckle at his own sentimentality. "Jeez, what have I become?" he said aloud rolling his eyes. "It's okay, " he mumbled, "I have just turned into the most pathetic sap in Salem. Of course I can live on my own. I don't have to be in a relationship to be happy." And as he said those last words, he knew they were simply not true. Sonny loved being with someone. He loved holding hands, sharing kisses and secrets that only lovers understood. Even standing at the top of a mountain didn't give him the same intense feeling of joy he felt when he was in love. So despite how convincing he tried to be with himself, Sonny knew that his happiest memories had been created with a boyfriend. The very happiest of them were shared with Will. That realization knocked the breath out of him, and Sonny closed his eyes and finally let loose the tears he had been trying all night to hold back.

He had spent the better part of the last hour crying, sobbing, lamenting the loss of Will, and he was emotionally drained. His eyes were terribly swollen, his mouth was dry and his head hurt from the sheer volume of his grief. He went through the motions of getting ready for bed, took some ibuprofen with the last swig of his beer, and climbed under the covers. He hoped that he was exhausted enough to sleep. He had certainly dealt with enough tonight, so he should be able to pull himself together. Sonny got a glimpse of Will's pillow, stacked on what used to be his side of the bed. He put his hand on it, first clutching it to his chest and then quickly sending it off the side of the bed to the floor. He didn't want to fall asleep thinking of Will. He didn't want to wake up to the sweet, musky smell of him. He settled his head on his own pillow, closed his tired eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Sonny made his way to the coffee shop early enough to balance out yesterday's transactions. He was feeling better. Four hours of deep sleep did him some good, and he was ready to start a new day. Pulling keys from his pocket, he was looking down briefly to get the right one when he walked into someone rounding the corner. Snapping his head up sharply and steadying his balance, Sonny found himself staring into Brian's smiling eyes. He knew that he must have given Brian a slightly perturbed glance because he quickly attempted an explanation.

"Sonny, wow, I didn't expect to actually run into you." Over confident Brian was looking a bit sheepish.

"Okay," Sonny said, "then why would you come here before the shop even opens?"

"Um, I had something to drop off for you. I slid it under the door." Brian held Sonny's gaze for a moment and then shifted so he was looking past Sonny at the brick wall behind him.

"Really. Well, I do want to meet up and talk sometime soon. But now isn't that time because I have to get in and catch up on what I wasn't up to doing last night."

Peaking Brian's interest, he inquired, "Did something happen last night? Are you okay?"

Despite the fact that Brian's actions were what instigated Will's visit and that Sonny would really like to confront him about what he said to Will, Sonny just shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I'm fine. I'll text you later, Brian."

As he entered the coffee shop, Sonny saw immediately that there was a note sitting on the floor slid just under the door. Electronic communications were typical now, not handwritten notes. People met online, got to know each other, dated, fell in love, argued, retaliated and broke up electronically all the time. Maybe if he would have just stuck to the online thing, he wouldn't be in this situation. But match sites never seemed to work very well for Sonny. He needs to look his date in the eyes when they are talking, watch his face when he laughs, observe his body language when they are sitting close together, and pay attention to the quietest of moments. This was the only way Sonny could date. He had to feel a connection. Attraction for him was so much deeper than a pretty face. Though a pretty face certainly helps, he acknowledged, chemistry is vital. Not too long ago Sonny had told Will that he was the only one he felt a connection with. And now, holding the note in his hands, Sonny wondered if he was so wrapped up in Will that he had missed feeling a connection with Brian. He is gorgeous, intelligent, athletic, and in total control of his life. What's not to like? "Well," Sonny thought out loud, "for one thing, he exaggerated our relationship to make Will feel bad. Or did he?" Sonny suddenly wondered. Could Will have been lying about that too?

Sonny opened the note: _I had a great time with you last night, Sonny. I hope we can see each other again and pick up where we left off. Yours, Brian_

It was a sweet message. Brian seemed sincere and had made it very clear that he was ready to move things forward. Sonny stuffed the note in his pocket, walked to the counter and took the basket full of last night's paperwork off the shelf. Before he got started, he turned on the various machines required for the day and soon got a fresh pot of his favorite dark roast brewing. Reaching for a mug, Sonny noticed the one that he had served to Will last night. The mug was still full. It looked like Will hadn't even taken a sip. Sonny bit his cheek, knowing that Will rarely passed up a fresh cup of coffee unless he was not feeling well. At least they had that in common, he thought to himself bitterly. They both felt like shit right now.

The day passed quickly with Sonny keeping busy checking in deliveries, taking inventory, and working front of house when needed. The place was about empty when Abigail walked in. She smiled and came right around the counter to give him a hug.

"How are you, Sonny?" she asked.

"Oh, let me put it this way, I've been better. But I am hoping the worst is over, and we can all move on now."

She squinted at him and said, "So you are moving on from Will. It's over between you two." The way she said it with such disappointment in her voice made Sonny think twice about his response.

He licked his lips nervously, "Will stopped by last night to return the key I had given him to my place. To our place - well I guess it was only ours for eight short hours before it was back to being just my place. Anyway, he knows that I saw Brian the other night, and he said he would respect my decision to move on."

"Did Will say anything else to you?" Abigail asked not so innocently.

Sonny smirked, "You wouldn't ask that question if you didn't already know, Abigail. Clearly you've talked to Will today. So why don't you recap for me what you already know so I don't bore you with all the same details."

"Will may be giving you space right now, Sonny, but he is fighting for you. For how flaky he can be, this whole thing has jolted him into action. Today I no longer saw the indecisive, passive, insecure Will I know. Regardless of whether or not you are able and willing to see that, you have to know that Will has grown up real fast over these last couple of months." Abigail looked at Sonny intently, wanting to know what he was thinking. She knew he had a date with Brian a few days ago. She knew that Brian told Will he had slept with Sonny. She saw how broken and heartsick Will was retelling the events of the previous night. She also saw a fire in Will's eyes she had never seen before. Most of all, Abigail saw how completely in love with Sonny Will is, and hoped that Will didn't have even more rejection ahead of him.

"It's too soon for me to make any real decisions right now. I'm hurt and frustrated trying to figure out why Will didn't feel he could trust me. I've heard his reasons and frankly I don't know if they are enough for me. I don't know if I can forgive him, Abigail? And if I do, will I suspect he's keeping something from me every time he looks preoccupied or upset? Will and I have a lot of history as friends, so I know that he has not lived a perfect life. He easily finds trouble and is far too gullible when it comes to people's intentions. Plus, if I do stay with Will and be a part of his baby's life, will there ever be a day when I regret my decision? Will I resent him for the things I wasn't able to do because we were busy raising a child? I just can't answer those questions now, so I have to keep my distance. It's the only way that I can clear my head long enough to actually think things through. As for Brian, I don't know about that either. He's pretty easy to look at and although he can be arrogant, he is a good guy and I enjoy spending time with him. He has wanted me for a while now, so it's flattering for a change when I've sort of gotten used to feeling like shit on a regular basis." Sonny finished and stepped out to meet Abigail at the edge of the counter to hug her once again.

"I know you care," he said into her hair, "and I love you for it cousin! But despite my romantic tendencies, even I recognize that stories don't always have happy endings. I need to figure out if I'm ready to deal with all of these plot twists to be with Will. Right now, our story has two alternate endings. And I honestly don't know what our final chapter is going to be."


	2. Chapter 2

**Will's Version of Moving On**

Will shot his hand up in the air the moment she asked if there were questions.

"Will," the teacher called and he started in, "You said to use the 'appliance that you prefer' to get to the right consistency. I'm not so familiar with gadgets, so do you have experience with one that you feel works better than the others?"

She thought for a moment. "I'm not endorsing one specific product or company over another, however, I can do everything I need to in a regular old blender. It just didn't make sense for me to buy an expensive and complex food processor when I started doing this in part to save money. Do your research; make sure the blender you choose has gotten good reviews from customers. If you have to buy a new one every month because you burn it out, that's no longer cost effective. And think of it this way, after a hard day, you can use it to whip up a smoothie...or nice strong margarita." Everyone chuckled while Will remained focused diligently on his iPad, keeping track of every single detail.

He looked up and waved his hand once again, "I also have a question about organic vs. non. Is organic always best?"

"My personal opinion is that since buying organic can be more expensive, pick what is most important to you and stick to regular for the rest. I'm not sure about your grocery store, but mine hardly ever has coupons for organic produce. So keeping in mind our theme of sticking to a budget, I've chosen a couple items that tend to be higher in pesticide content than others, like berries, apples, spinach and celery. While sweet potatoes, avocado and most melons seem to test lower on that same scale. I want to give him the best but have to be frugal, too. So, I balance it out as I can, look for sales at natural food stores and shop the farmers market in spring and summer."

They were only about 15 minutes into the 2-hour class, and Will had already asked so many questions they were barely even into the first section. "I'm sure everyone else is annoyed with me," he thought to himself, "but I take this very seriously and am determined to get the best information I can. No compromises." Along with his full time college course load, Will had signed up for a series of parenting classes through a community program. Today they were talking about making your own baby food. Because he knew that he was not so great in the kitchen, Will had been particularly nervous about being able to remember everything from tonight's session. He came into this particular class with lots of questions; and as Amber, their instructor, got going on the first section, Will had added about 10 more to his list. Though becoming a Dad had not been in his game plan for quite some time, he was immersing himself in all things parenting. He had fallen in love with his daughter the instant he saw her image on the screen. And even though she's not here yet, he's terrified about doing the wrong thing. He agreed with Amber, that's for sure - he only wanted to give his daughter the best. He shook his head slightly and was amazed at how drastically his priorities had changed in such a short time.

It had been only two weeks ago today that he had his last conversation with Sonny. He still replayed the scene over and over again in his head, but then too quickly his thoughts shifted to Sonny kissing Brian. Every time he did, he felt his chest tighten and every breath felt shallow and obstructed. So many people had opinions about the situation, and most of them didn't hesitate to share these with Will. Whether he liked it or not. "Time heals all wounds..." his Mom would say while Dad gave him the "if you love someone, let them go..." bit. Blah, blah, blah. Thanks to Grandma Marlena, he had actually learned some good coping skills that really seemed to help him deal with all the unwanted advice. For instance, Will started tracking his meals and their nutritional content and had gone to the gym every single day since last Friday. As a special treat, his Grandma Kate had scheduled a massage for him next week. Will recognized that even with the family and friend support he did and would have, being a father was going to be far from easy. He wanted to make sure he was healthy and relaxed, so he could better handle the haphazard schedule of a newborn. Will also kept his tablet on hand at all times. There he collected all the articles he read, tips he found for calming her when she's fussy and alleviating discomfort when she's gassy. He even found a way to make your own baby wipes that were safer for the environment. Will saved helpful websites, brand recommendations and really everything under the sun he thought he just might need one day.

As class wrapped up for the night, Will made sure to save the 3 pages of notes he had taken into his 'baby food, stage 1' folder. He packed his bag, thanked Amber for all her help, and pulled out his phone to check messages. One voicemail and a text - not too bad. Because the text was easier to deal with, he read that first. It was Gabi letting him know that she had seen a Dr today and it was only a cold. She had come down with a pretty bad cough after the whole wedding fiasco, and today she finally agreed to get it checked out. He was relieved that it wasn't worse - like the flu - and that extra rest should do the trick. His voicemail, on the other hand, was from his Mom. He had tried to get her to use the text function on her phone more often, but Sami always felt like she could talk so much faster than type on the tiny keyboard, so it wasn't worth her effort. Not even listening to the entire message, Will started the car to warm it up and called his Mom.

"Hey, Will!" she said cheerfully.

"Mom, how are you?"

"Things are great."

"Good, Mom."

Barely letting him finish, she started rambling, "I'm not sure if you heard my whole message, but I found the laundry detergent you were looking at online at a great price on Amazon. And if you buy in bulk, it's even cheaper. Anyway, I ordered some and it should be here within a couple of days. Oh, and I was feeling weirdly domestic today and made chocolate chip cookies. The kids wanted to see if you could come over for cookies and milk?" Wow. Was she even going to stop to take a breath? Will smiled into the phone, picturing his Mom flitting around the kitchen trying to remember where flour might be.

"Tell them thanks for the invite, but I just got out of my class on homemade baby food, and I was planning to experiment with some of the recipes tonight." There was a momentary pause, and Will wondered if the call got dropped.

"Mom?" he asked impatiently, "Yes, Will, I'm sorry. I was...well, I had to pee and I couldn't wait."

"Mom! Oh gosh, I hate it when you do that! I don't want to be talking to you when you are in the bathroom!"

"I know. My apologies." She really didn't sound all that sorry to Will. "It's done now anyway. So, good luck with your experimenting. I'll talk to you tomorrow...love you."

"I love you, too, Mom. Hugs to the kids."

His car was plenty warm by now, so Will headed off to SuperTarget to buy a new blender and the supplies he needed to try some of the purees he learned about tonight. Pulling into the store parking lot, he made a mental list of what he needed to start: bananas, apples, avocado, dried apricots and either white grape juice or pear juice. He grabbed a basket at the entrance and headed to get his blender first. Once he had that and all of his fruit, he made his way to the juice aisle. "There are way too many kinds of juice," he mumbled to himself as he looked anxiously over the endless rows of bottles in a multitude of colors and sizes.

Seeing a red shirt around the corner, Will quickly headed to the end of the aisle, "Hello...excuse me, could you help me find pear juice?" And as he met the eyes of the red-shirted person he had tracked down, he was totally shocked to find himself staring at his former-friend-turned-Sonny's-new-boyfriend, Brian.

"Well, hello Will."

"Um, hey Brian," was all Will could muster. Did Brian always have to look so smug? It would have been polite for Will to ask him how he was, but truthfully, he didn't really want to know. Keeping himself super busy had its benefits; he didn't have much time to catch up on town gossip, and therefore had no idea if Sonny and Brian were still together.

Ready to apologize for mistaking him for an employee, Will heard a familiar voice from the next aisle. "Brian, I got all the hollandaise sauce ingredients. Did you find the right juice for Bloody Marys?" Trying not to sink completely into the floor, Will turned around so fast that he plowed directly into Sonny, who was obviously coming to find Brian. Reacting immediately, Sonny reached out to grab Will's arm to keep them both from falling. While it worked and they were both able to steady themselves, Will couldn't hide his surprise at the sudden jolt he felt at Sonny's slight touch. Feeling the onset of emotions he could not handle in the middle of SuperTarget, he swallowed hard, and pulled stiffly away from Sonny.

"Sorry," he rushed, "I have to go." Will raced past Sonny so fast that he almost knocked Sonny off balance again.

"Okay, Will..." he heard Sonny say from behind him, "have a good night."

Despite his desperate compulsion to dump the basket in the next aisle and take off, Will calmed himself enough to get to the registers, pay for his groceries and make it back out to his car. Once in the safety of his own vehicle, Will let out an angry scream followed by agonizing sobs. He knew that he really shouldn't drive right now because the truth was, he could barely see beyond his own tears. But he needed to get out of there now. So, Will shifted the car into gear, started on his way home making sure to grab a napkin from the glove compartment before he got too messy. "I guess that pretty much answers my question about whether or not they are still together," he croaked to himself. Grocery shopping. Together. Sonny's place or Brian's...it didn't really matter where those groceries would go. Will just knew that they weren't going back to his place. And neither was Sonny. "Why did I tell him to move on? Why didn't I insist we stay there until we talked through our issues?" he shouted to the rearview mirror. Why did seeing Sonny with someone else - especially Brian - make him feel as if he had just been on the losing end of a UFC match? His head was spinning, every move made something hurt, and he was afraid he might pass out. Pulling himself together just enough, Will was able to drive the last 2 miles to his apartment, get the bags inside and put away, and collapse on his couch, finally unable to keep himself from crumbling.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sonny's Version of Moving On**

"Brian," Sonny complained, "how long do I have to keep stirring this damn sauce?" His whining was only met with laughter and absolutely no sympathy.

"Hollandaise has to be watched constantly. Just when you look away for one second, it can get lumpy and ruin the whole dish."

"Fine." Sonny snapped. "When I offered to help you, I was kind of thinking about maybe popping something in the oven or making toast. This is why I don't cook often. It's so much easier to order take out."

"Easy doesn't mean good, Sonny. Some things are worth the wait," Brian teased and smacked him on the ass playfully.

"Hey you two, how is brunch coming along?" asked Kareem as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Well, Sonny is giving me a bit of attitude, but I intend to keep him in line," to which Sonny could only manage a frustrated grunt.

"Well, I'll set the table, does that sound good?" Kareem asked Brian.

"Wait," Sonny quickly interjected, seeing an opportunity, "how about I set the table and you take over sauce duty?"

Kareem smirked. "No way. I'm smarter than that, man."

"Whatever," Sonny mumbled loud enough for them both to hear, "you should have at least let me know ahead of time that by doing this I'd have to sacrifice all feeling in my arm." Kareem and Brian chuckled at Sonny as they watched him try to prop up and then massage the stirring arm with his other. It was clear it wasn't helping and in the process, Sonny only succeeded in making himself look more awkward and pitiful. At that moment Brian's door buzzer rang.

"Babe, can you get that?" Brian asked.

"Sure, but I'd like a kiss first...it's the least you can do for me." Brian smiled and motioned Kareem over to him with a wink.

"You can ask for that anytime..." Brian murmured against Kareem's lips as he gripped the back of his shirt collar.

"Jeez...okay you two," Sonny said exasperated, "get a room or get the door. Please, guests are on their way, so can we at least try to keep the kitchen sanitary until the meal is served?"

Brian pulled gently away from Kareem, "you know, he has a point. I need to be able to focus on cooking, and that is not at all what I'm focused on right now."

"Fine," Kareem said with a big, dopey grin, "I'll let our guests in."

It is truly unbelievable how so much can happen in a short amount of time but still feel like no time passed at all. Two days after his kiss with Brian, Sonny had stopped things from going any further for good. He'd like to think that he knew from the first touch that it was wrong, but he couldn't say that if he was being completely honest with himself. The truth is, their kiss felt good. And the attention Brian gave to Sonny made him feel better about himself than he had in days. But as the wine was poured and soft jazz turned on, Sonny realized that he was not doing this because he felt something for Brian. He was doing it because he didn't. It could have been easy and meaningless for Sonny, but he hadn't been that guy for a while now. Hook-ups were no longer his style, and he especially couldn't do something like that when he knew it would merely be a temporary distraction that would end up confusing him even more.

Brian did not seem surprised at all when Sonny ended it. "I do understand, Sonny," Brian had said as they talked over espresso. "No matter how hard it is to admit, you are still so hung up on Will that nobody - not even me - has a chance with you," he grinned and shook his head. "Honestly, I wish I could have been the bigger person and called things off with you first, but I guess I'm not used to NOT getting what I want. Anyway, are we still friends?" he asked earnestly.

"Of course, Brian. I'm sure out of the all guys we hang out with, you've shared kisses with more than just me."

"Good point." Brian conceded as his phone rang. "Speaking of boys I've kissed, there's Kareem now. I'm meeting him this afternoon to plan an event for the GIS Club we run together."

"GIS?" Sonny inquired.

"Yeah, GIS - Gays in Sports. Good idea, stupid name, but it's too late to change now since we've already gotten it printed on t-shirts." Sonny laughed as Brian got up from the table, gave him a smile, followed by a quick wave, and was greeting Kareem before the door shut behind him.

Sonny was glad that was over. He was just a bit curious to know how many other guys Brian has kissed...and slept with. "He can be quite charming," Sonny thought to himself, "so I imagine that number to be on the high side." He was also convinced from Brian's comment, that there was more to his history with Kareem than a kiss. Well, that turned out to be a severe understatement. As the story goes, Brian and Kareem had been together for a couple of years and were pretty serious. Kareem played football for the university's team, and even though Salem is a small college, he had big dreams of going pro. Well, apparently his parents did too. So much so that they pressured Kareem into breaking it off "for the sake of his career." Currently no out NFL players. And if Kareem was actually good enough to get in, they didn't want their son to change that. The break up was bitter at first but they kept in touch and were on good terms now. It helped that Kareem eventually said "screw you" to his parents and gave them an ultimatum: Love me for me or don't be a part of my life. Knowing this now does help put into perspective Brian's overly harsh reaction to Will, and the fact that he would choose to live a lie instead of dealing with the truth. Well, the truth certainly was out there now. And as it happened, within a few days, Kareem and Brian were back together, too.

Sonny didn't want to feel envious of their relationship, but he did. The two of them so easily fell back in sync, and you pretty much had to be blind not to see how happy they made each other. It caused Sonny to think of Will and how immensely happy he had been when Will admitted he had feelings for him. Whether he liked it or not, he missed Will and wanted to know how he was doing. A month ago, Sonny would never have thought that he would go for weeks without talking to Will. And now it had been almost three.

He even went as far as to not-so-subtly ask Abigail how things were going with the Hortons, hoping she catch the hint. He knew that he was being pretty obvious, but he also knew that she was terrible at keeping secrets. Sonny found out that day that Will got his own apartment and was moved out of his Mom's place already. Abigail said that he seemed a little happier and more excited about becoming a father soon. From what she said, it sounded like Will truly meant what he said to Sonny at the coffee shop weeks ago about fighting for what he wanted and not backing down. Sonny smiled at the thought of a more assertive Will, a Will who believed that he was a good person who deserved good things to happen to him. Sonny felt a pang of guilt as he remembered the way Will looked at him when they saw each other at SuperTarget. He could only imagine what assumptions Will had made about him and Brian...especially since they were buying groceries together. Those blue eyes betrayed Will every time, and he couldn't conceal the agony and self-doubt that resurfaced seeing Sonny with Brian. He had flinched at the sight of Will's obvious pain, and he wanted to run after him, to tell Will that it wasn't what he thought. He wanted to explain everything - that he was there shopping with a group and that despite what Will heard, he hadn't slept with Brian. Most of all he wanted so much to tell him that he missed him, that he thought of him every minute of every day.

"Damn him!" Sonny scolded himself. How could Will still have that effect on him after all that's happened? Sonny tried his best to forget their encounter, but it was too soon...the wounds were still too fresh. Would he ever be able to erase the memory of Will at the church admitting he was the real father of Gabi's baby? Or of Will interrogating him about the men he had brought back to his apartment? Or of Will standing before him, attempting to justify the reason for his continued deceit, when all along he had insisted nothing was wrong, that they had no more secrets? He wasn't sure that he could. And Sonny knew that no matter how much he loved Will, nothing could be right again until he was ready to forgive him.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Gift**

"Hello," Will croaked into his cell phone, eyes not even open enough to see who was calling.

"Will! Oh thank God you answered!" his Mom breathed out a dramatic sigh.

"What now," he wondered, rubbing his head with his free hand and trying to focus on what his Mom was saying. He pulled the phone from his ear just quick enough to look at the time. "Mom! It is 11:50pm. What is so important that can't wait until a normal hour of the day?" Will was groggy with sleep, and pretty mad at being jolted from his dream by his Mother.

"Will, I am downstairs, buzz me in," she demanded. And without the energy to argue, Will entered the code to let her into his apartment building.

It seemed like only 2 seconds before he heard pounding on his front door. "Will," he heard muffled from the other side of the wall, "you better not have drifted back to sleep..." As his Mom trailed off, annoyed, Will stumbled through the living room and turned the dead bolt. His hand barely turned the knob when his Mom pushed her way inside. "Will! I was worried! I've tried you about 8 times..." And sure enough when Will glanced down at his phone he saw the 7 missed calls from his mother.

"Please Mom, get to the point. I had a day full of classes and work and tomorrow isn't going to be any different." He watched her breeze past him to set a package - about the size of a shoe box - on his kitchen table. "You came all the way over here in the middle of the night to bring me what, shoes?" Will asked sardonically.

"Wow, son, you think so highly of me, don't you?"

"Well, you have to admit Mom that you can overreact sometimes...you know, blow things WAY out of proportion?" He looked her right in the eyes and smiled. What Will said was absolutely true, but she had been so supportive lately, one of the only people in his life who wasn't still criticizing him for his past mistakes, so he was quick to forgive.

Will's Mom smiled widely back, "Okay...you might have a point. But that's not the case this time. I think this delivery for you is big." Will shook his head, wondering how many things he had ordered for the baby online that hadn't arrived yet.

"It's probably something I ordered for the nursery, you know, when I was living with you still." He started to walk to the kitchen and sat down in one the chairs. Sami looked at her son nervously as she casually ran her hands across the box's return label.

Pursing her lips, she spoke gently, "I don't think so, Will."

Frowning at her, Will moved the box to face him, taking in the logo and postmark date. "Ummm...this is from a place called 'From Greece with Love'." Will felt the words catch in his throat, and he opened his eyes widely at his Mom.

"Will...the box came today, Valentine's Day, to my house, which used to be your house. I have a feeling this might be from..."

"...Sonny," Will finished breathlessly. Could it actually be? Will was shaking so much he was unable to grip hard enough on the corners of the box to open it.

"Are you sure you are ready for this, honey?" Sami asked while she looked at him with loving concern.

"Yes, Mom. This could be a peace offering from Sonny. He might have sent this to show that he still cares. Mom, this is incredible!" he said a bit too excitedly.

"Just be careful, Will." his Mom said gently, "Now let's get this thing opened!" And Sami grabbed a knife from the counter to give them the help they needed.

As the box popped open, Will reached in and pulled out a tightly bubble-wrapped object, rectangle in size and fairly heavy. Without saying anything, he delicately unwrapped each piece of packaging, the last one revealling underneath it the most gorgeous wooden box. He ran his fingers across the wood and found several raised lines at the very front near a clasp. To the left, the letters looked very foreign to Will. He guessed from the place it came from that it was probably Greek. Then he found the English translation in the exact same place on the opposite side. "_The greatest gift I could ever give you would be to see yourself through my eyes." -Unknown._

Will glanced up at the ceiling, fingers still tracing the letters, too afraid to even take a breath. Will found the clasp at the front and clicked it open easily. Grasping it in both hands, Will moved slowly until the box laid out flat in front of him. Taking in a sharp breath, Will knew instantly what it was. Before him laid the most beautiful walnut backgammon set. Just a short time ago, Will and Sonny discussed the significance playing games held for each of their families. For the Horton's it was dominoes, and a family gathering was never complete without several highly contentious rounds played after dinner. The Kiriakis family played backgammon, and Sonny was proud to be the current reigning champion. He said it was a long-standing family tradition, and that his relatives still living in Greece could typically be found on the weekends playing amongst friends at one of the neighborhood cafes. Sonny couldn't wait to teach Will to play, and Will joked about hoping they'd still be playing as an old married couple.

Will looked at the gorgeous wooden inlays on the board and quickly noticed a red-colored envelope with his name written on the front. Will picked it up, smoothing his thumb and forefinger around the corners, turning it to pull up its flap. Reaching in, he pulled out a note. Taking a deep breath he ran his eyes over the card, reading the words to himself: "Will, to our new beginning. Love, Sonny" And seeing that made the tears that had welled up in his eyes flow freely down his cheeks.

"Will, what's wrong?" his Mom put her arm around his shoulders and kissed his hair. "Is everything okay?" Will had almost forgotten she was there. He had been so entranced by Sonny's note that in that moment everything and everyone else disappeared. Will was floored at the gesture, and he immediately reached to find his cell phone - he needed to talk to Sonny. He handed the card to his Mom and started scrolling through his contacts. "Wait Will..." his Mom being the voice of reason. "It is now after midnight and Sonny is surely asleep. Why don't you wait to call him until, as you said it, a normal hour of the day." Chuckling, setting his phone on the table, he shook his head in agreement.

"Mom, this has to be Sonny letting me know he still cares. He wrote 'to our new beginning', which has to be about starting over, moving on together, making our relationship work." His Mom saw so much hope on her son's face that she just couldn't bring up any of the doubts she had about when the gift might have been ordered. She feared that with the level of personalization and the amount of thought that must have gone into planning the gift, that Sonny hadn't made this purchase recently. She quieted her fears, wanting to believe that this was Sonny's olive branch to Will, welcoming the hope of reunion for them.

"Will this is so amazing. He really made this special for you."

"Yeah, I know Mom. He is so incredible. And I can't wait to talk to him and thank him tomorrow."

Glancing at her watch, his Mom quickly tidied up the table and reached for her purse. "Will, I am going to leave you now...it is late!"

Will burst out laughing, "you're just realizing this now after barging into my place in the middle of the night?"

"Ha, ha, Will. Tell me you wouldn't have been a little mad at me if I hadn't come right over with this. I knew it was important, so even though I had just gotten home at 11:30pm from a long day at work, I flew right over here. Do you forgive me for disrupting your sleep now?" she pouted but smirked at the same time.

"You know I do." Will gave in. "Now get out of here. I need my beauty sleep...and so do you."

"Shut up!" Sami said playfully as she hugged him and closed the front door behind her. Will stepped away from the table, taking a moment to look at the beautiful backgammon board before picking it up gently and taking it with him to his bedroom. He wanted to fall asleep to the sight of Sonny's wonderful gift and dream of the moment tomorrow when he would see him again.

Despite Will's anxiousness, he was able to sleep solidly and peacefully for a change. He was up at 6:30 and had texted Chad already to make sure Sonny was opening the coffee shop that morning. Chad's response was far from friendly, saying something about not being able to sleep in now on his day off. Will felt just a tinge of guilt, but it was so quickly replaced by excitement that within a minute he had forgotten all about Chad. Will showered, put on his favorite jeans and blue button up shirt Sonny liked so much, and lightly rewrapped the backgammon set so it wouldn't get bumped in his bag. Grabbing his keys, Will made his way out of the apartment to his car.

Pulling into the empty parking lot near Common Grounds, Will took a couple of deep breaths before heading in. Will gently hung the bag over his shoulder and walked the length of the parking lot, across Horton Square and down the sidewalk to Sonny's shop. Seeing the light on, Will knocked gently trying to supress the giddy smile he had on his face. He bit his lip slightly, telling himself that he still had to take this easy because there was a whole lot at stake.

Sonny came to the door, peeked through the blinds, and hesitantly opened the door. "Will, I didn't expect to see you." The sound of Sonny's voice made Will melt. He felt like it had been forever since he'd heard Sonny say his name.

Will's upturned lips parted as he asked, "Can I come in...to talk."

"Okay Will." Sonny widened the door, and Will walked slowly past him and made his way directly to the front counter. "Coffee?" Sonny smiled at Will, knowing his answer.

"I'd love one," Will said feeling to grateful to once again be here in one of his most favorite places.

As Sonny filled them each a mug of coffee, Will removed the backgammon set from his messenger bag. Setting it on the counter for Sonny to see as soon as he turned around, Will watched him with anticipation. "Sonny," Will began as his gorgeous brown eyes focused on the box that had just appeared in front of him.

"Oh God, Will. I...can't believe..." and his words trailed off without finishing. Sonny set his elbows on the counter and ran both hands through the top of his hair, resting them on the back of his neck. Will immediately felt tension replace any of the happiness he had been experiencing seconds ago. Sonny looked at him with sadness, his lips trembling as he attempted to finish. "...I special ordered this Will."

"Clearly I can tell that, Sonny. It has an inscription and a personalized note..."

"Will, things like this usually take time...more than a week or so." Will kept failing to recognize the obvious and looked at Sonny quizzically, "it says to 'our new beginning'". Speaking clearly in a flattened tone, Sonny explained, "This was the Valentine's Day gift I ordered special for you over a month ago. Before I asked you to move in with me. Before the wedding. Before...well, before everything that followed." Realization dawned on Will, and he felt like a complete and utter fool. Of course Sonny had to order it a while ago, of course he had just forgotten to cancel it when they broke up. And there it was, the most wonderful gift Will had ever received, sitting on the counter between them, taunting him. It was the most wonderful gift that Will wasn't supposed to have gotten at all.

Still bewildered, Will took a drink of his coffee and set the cup back down. "Is there any way that I can get this to go?" he asked, avoiding direct eye contact.

"Will, I really am sorry, it's my fault that I didn't remember to cancel the order, or at least change the shipping address. You have to believe me, I didn't do this to hurt you."

Will spoke with a calmness that surprised them both, "and I'm sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion, Sonny. I guess I just couldn't resist thinking - hoping - that you decided to come back to me. I'm okay. It was really good to see you Sonny. I do miss you a lot." Will grabbed the to-go cup Sonny had filled for him and picked his bag up from the counter.

"Will, I miss you too. I really do. Abigail tells me you are doing well and have moved into your own place," Sonny said sincerely.

"Things are moving along, Sonny. They do whether you want them to or not, funny how that works. But my apartment is nice, and I have a small den that I'm going to use for the nursery. Anyway, I have to go. I don't want to be late for class." Will walked the half a dozen steps to the door and before grabbing the handle, turned and looked directly into those brown eyes he loved so much. "For the record, my feelings haven't changed. Lots of other things have, but I just can't stop loving you, Sonny and wishing so badly that I had done things differently. I'm so sorry I messed up the best thing in my life. You are amazing, and I am not going to stop hoping to get to play that backgammon game with you someday. Take care of yourself, Sonny." Will gave him the sweetest, genuine smile, and Sonny couldn't help but smile back as a tear squeezed from his eye and fell on his shirt collar.

"You too, Will. I'll see you later." And with that Will was gone, leaving Sonny, grin still spread across his face, thinking of Will as he finished his coffee and resumed the daily duties of opening up the shop.


	5. Chapter 5

**Surprises**

Just as soon as Sonny unlocked the door to the coffee shop, his Mom walked in, looking for her morning caffeine fix. "Sonny, how are you?" she said cheerfully.

"Mom, I didn't expect you to be my first customer of the day." Sonny smiled, teasing her.

"I know! I have a busy day and wanted to get it started off right with the best coffee in town." Laughing, Sonny headed behind the counter and poured her a large cup to go. Turning around, he saw his Mom staring at the backgammon board that was still sitting out. "That's a really beautiful set, Sonny. Is it new?" she inquired.

"Kind of. I ordered it for Will for Valentine's Day."

"And it arrived...here..." drawing her words out waiting for her son to jump in.

"No. It was delivered to Sami's yesterday. Except that Will doesn't live there anymore, so she took it over to Will last night. He brought it in this morning to...ah...return it to me" gesturing a bit frantically with his hands.

Tilting her head and squinting her eyes a little, Adrienne simply said, "Oh. It looks similar to the one we have at home. Did you get it from..."

"Yep - I talked to Uncle Vic and got the name of his supplier. Boy does that man have connections."

"And that surprises you?" Adrienne laughed seeming to have forgotten what Sonny said about Will moving out. Curiosity getting the best of her, she couldn't let that tidbit of information go. "Will doesn't live with Sami anymore?"

"Nope, I guess not. Abigail told me the other day that he found his own place and was moved in already."

Adrienne couldn't hide the fact that she was impressed. "Good for Will. At least he's out from under his mother's thumb now. Sounds like a good start for him, don't you think?" she looked at Sonny, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Mom, I'm proud of Will for getting on with things. He's taking his college courses, working at the pub, attending parenting classes through community ed and getting his place ready for a baby. I'd say he's gotten himself together pretty well" Sonny concluded with a small smile and a shrug. He pulled together the backgammon set with a sigh and set it gently underneath the counter.

"You're okay too, sweetheart? This hasn't been the easiest for you either."

"Honestly, Mom, I'm feeling better. Will is moving on and I'm glad" Sonny said matter-of-factly.

"Is that so," Adrienne asked skeptically.

"Yes, mom, it is. Okay, don't you have a big day ahead of you? Because I have to start paying attention to my other customers before they leave to get their morning cup elsewhere."

Sonny gave his Mom a wave and without missing a beat, he moved on to his next customer, "Cameron - your usual this morning?"

Adrienne glanced at her watch as she walked through the square, taking a seat at one of the tables. Her first appointment wasn't for another hour, and it was an unseasonably warm morning for February in Salem. As she set her purse down and took a sip of coffee, Will wandered by, stopping at a nearby trash can to drop off his empty coffee cup.

"Will!" Adrienne yelled a bit too loudly as Horton Square was virtually empty at 7:15 am.

He looked over, surprised, "Oh, Hi Mrs. Kiriak..." and before he could finish, she scolded, "I told you, Adrienne, please." And Will smiled at her.

"Sonny tells me that you found your own place?"

"He did? Ummm...yeah, I got my own apartment and moved a couple weeks ago. It was about time I got out of my Mom's anyway," he explained biting a little on his lower lip.

"Well, good for you, Will. Despite everything...you know...that's happened between you and Sonny, I want you to be happy."

"Thanks," he replied, once again caught off guard by Adrienne's friendliness, "that really means a lot." They looked at each other briefly before Will interrupted the silence. "I have to go or I'll be late for class. Good to see you, Mrs K...Adrienne. It really was. Please say Hi to your husband for me, too."

"I will," she said nodding, "have a good day, Will." With that, Will started walking through the square heading toward the entrance near the couches. Adrienne watched as Will spotted Brian and another handsome-looking man approach the couches to sit down just as he was getting ready to pass by. Shuffling a bit faster and keeping his eyes fixed on the pavement, it seemed like Will didn't want to see these guys at all.

"Well, Will!" she heard Brian say and saw Will look up tentatively. "How are you man?" he asked trying to sound sincere.

"I'm fine Brian...Kareem." Will acknowledged the other man by name. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I'm going to be late for class if I don't get moving. So, uhh, see you later." And finally Will was headed out of Horton Square hoping to make it to his car without another awkward encounter.

"Will seemed a little fidgety this morning, didn't you think?" Brian asked Kareem after Will was out of earshot.

"Maybe he's had too much coffee?" Kareem joked.

Brian, not really listening, mused, "He's probably still upset about me and Sonny." And with the mention of Sonny's name, both Adrienne and Kareem perked up.

"What do you mean - upset about you and Sonny?" Kareem asked not looking too pleased. Adrienne was starting to get the feeling now that maybe Brian and Kareem were more than just friends. Intrigued about what was going to be said about her son, she shifted down a bit further in her seat to make sure it wasn't too obvious that she was eavesdropping.

"You know, right after Sonny and Will broke up, before we got back together, Sonny and I kind of had a date at the coffee shop one night. We kissed, and Will saw us through the window. And he saw us leave together."

Kareem tensed and quickly prodded him for the most important piece of information, "Brian, did you two have sex that night?"

Brian answered nonchalantly, "No, but I'm not sure Will knows that. I ran into him at the pub later...and sort of led him to believe that we had." Even though she was trying so hard to be quiet, Adrienne couldn't help but let out a surprised gasp at Brian's admission. Afraid the couple might have heard her, she quickly put her phone to her ear pretending to have a conversation with no one on the other end.

Kareem shook his head at Brian and smacked his arm, "you can be a real jerk, you know. I'm remembering why I dumped you before..."

Swatting away Kareem's arm, Brian laughed and leaned to give him a peck on the cheek. "Oh, you know you can't resist me. Besides, it was nothing, forget about it. Sonny still loves Will, and I never stopped loving you, okay?" Brian put on his most irresistible smile.

"Yeah," Kareem conceded, "we are okay. You're just lucky you are so incredibly hot."

"I know" Brian said, "let's get going," and they got up to leave.

Thinking she was in the clear, Adrienne stopped her fictitious call and put her phone back in her purse. Finding the right pocket, she tucked her phone inside and looked back up only to see Brian and Kareem standing right in front of her table. "Oh!" she exclaimed. She had thought they were taking the other way out of the square.

"Hello there!" Brian greeted her cheerfully.

"How are you, Brian?" she asked politely.

"Fine. Kareem, this is Sonny's Mom..."

She introduced herself, "Mrs Kiriakis," and she reached out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs Kiriakis," Kareem said shaking her hand.

"You too, Kareem. Well, I need to get going. You boys have a nice day."

"You, too," they said simultaneously and each went their separate ways.

Watching Brian and Kareem leave, Adrienne made a quick decision to go back to the coffee house. As she opened the door for the second time that morning, Sonny just smirked at her, palms up.

"You couldn't stay away?" he quipped sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact, no, I couldn't." she pouted at her son. "Actually, I was thinking that it might be nice if you would come to dinner at the mansion tonight. Are you free?"

Sonny thought for a moment, reviewing his day's schedule, "Yeah, Mom, I'd like that. It would be a nice change of pace to not eat my dinner alone."

"Good," she said instantly, hoping that would be his response.

"Be at the house at 6:30pm. I'll even see if Henderson can make some of your favorites."

"Cool, Mom. Thanks. I'll see you tonight." Sonny came out from behind the counter to give her a hug. "Now, jeez, you really need to get going...busy day, remember?" he teased.

"See you tonight!" she sang and headed out. Calling Justin and Victor, Adrienne brought them up to speed on their new dinner plans for the night. Very proud of herself, Adrienne grabbed the keys from her purse and headed to her first appointment of the day.


	6. Chapter 6

**What Do I Really Want?**

Despite what Will had told everyone that morning, he decided he needed some quality time with his Grandma and skipped his first class. On his way to her office, he called to make sure she had some time available for him. Parking in the office building's lot, Will glanced in the rearview mirror to check his hair before going in. He smiled at his reflection - maybe one of the first times in weeks - and realized how excited he was to see his Grandma Marlena. It had been a while, thought Will, as he made his way to the front doors and up the stairs to her office. He had kept himself so busy on purpose, because it helped keep him focused on his baby and from dwelling obsessively on the mistakes he made with Sonny. It had been a month since their break-up. Thinking back, he knew that the last 30 days had been the most difficult and heartbreaking time in his entire life. Even shuffling from parent to parent growing up or doing EJ's dirty work during the mayoral campaign or being harassed by his former best friend, T, when he first came out, did not compare to the devastation he felt losing Sonny. Sure, those events were horrible and hurtful, and in those moments Will didn't know if things would ever get better. But this time was even harder because he couldn't be selfish and focus only on his own problems, he had to think about the baby who would be coming into his life soon. So, he didn't wallow, didn't spend time feeling sorry for himself...and truth be told, he hadn't even really let himself grieve. The busier he kept himself, the less time he had to think about what he missed most about Sonny...the deep and undeniable connection he felt whenever their eyes met or the way Sonny reacted when he told him that he was wrong and that Will was interested in him or the intensity on Sonny's face the night they first kissed, or the gentleness that Sonny had when he touched Will, undressed him, led him to the bed the first time they made love. Will's stomach started to tighten, his heart picked up speed and his breathing became a bit ragged just at the memory of those unbelievable moments spent with the man he still longed for.

Grandma Marlena embraced him eagerly and firmly the minute he appeared at her door. "Will, it is so good to see you. You look well. Can I get you coffee, tea...anything to drink?" offering up a bottle of water she had pulled from the small refrigerator in her office.

"No thanks, Grandma. I just finished a large cup of coffee, so I'm fine." and he took a seat on the comfortable couch he had sat in many times before, confiding to Marlena his deepest fears.

"I am serious, Will, about you looking well. You seem to smile easier and have a little spark back in those beautiful blues."

"Grandma..." Will said shyly, "I wouldn't say that I'm happy, but I am trying to focus on on the future...the things I can actually control."

She nodded, looking directly and deeply at him. His Grandma Marlena had a way of seeing through Will in a way that his mother never did. Unlike Sami, Marlena chose a profession that required intuitiveness, openness and intimacy with her clients. Because of that, she never got so wrapped up in her own life that she missed the struggles of another. And she called Will out so many times when he tried to hide his feelings from her. It was what made Will and his Grandma so close, but it also made him feel very exposed and vulnerable. He had never felt like that with anyone else until he met Sonny. Sonny could just look him in the eye, and Will wanted to give himself over to him utterly and completely with absolutely no hesitation. Will wondered if he would ever get to feel that again - with Sonny - or anyone else.

Reading his mind, Marlena inquired, "so, how are things with Sonny? Have you seen him recently?"

Will swallowed, "Actually I saw him this morning. He had sent me a gift for Valentine's Day, and I went to see him to thank him, thinking that he might want to get back together. But like the idiot I am, I failed to consider the fact that he would have had to order the gift some time ago and that it arrived for me yesterday only because he forgot to cancel it."

"You are not an idiot, Will. Please don't be so hard on yourself." Marlena looked at him sternly knowing this wasn't the first nor the last time she would say this to him. Will was so terribly critical of himself and self-deprecating. It hurt his Grandma to see him so insecure, so unaware of his own beauty. Will's thick blond hair and piercing blue eyes reminded her so much of her daughter, but it was the strong jaw and adorable smile of his father's that made him completely irresistible. A little too trusting at times, Will always believed the best in people and even after everything that transpired over the last few years, he still approached life with the innocence and enthusiasm of a child. Marlena wanted so much to protect him, but she knew that Will also inherited a significant amount of stubbornness from both sides of his family, and that kept him from allowing anyone to tell him what to do once he made up his mind. Will had to make his own mistakes. And unfortunately, he had made quite a few of them lately.

Talking easily with his Grandma, Will didn't even realize that over an hour and a half had passed. "Woah Grandma!" Will stood up hurriedly, "I need to let you get back to work and get my butt to class!" Marlena stood and gave Will another one of her special hugs that made him feel so unconditionally loved. "Grandma, you are the best. Thank you so much."

"Remember what I said Will; self care is just as vital as the care you give to your child. And you will never be the best Dad you can be for her if you don't do what makes you most happy."

"I know, Grandma, I'm working on it. I love you." Marlena smiled in response and proudly watched her grandson leave her office.

Sonny parked his car and walked into the mansion at about 6:35pm. Late - but not too bad, he smiled to himself. "Son," his Dad greeted him with a hug and helped him out of his coat. "Dinner is ready, and I was just heading into the dining room. Your Mom, Maggie and Victor are there already."

"Great" Sonny responded. "It's really good to see you, Dad. I've been a little distracted and out of touch lately," Sonny remarked.

"For good reason, Sonny," his Dad said understandingly. Justin clapped his hand on his son's shoulder and wrapped his arm around him as they approached the dining room.

"Well, thanks for joining us," Uncle Victor said smiling at Sonny.

"Yes, and not even as late as I expected," his Mom added sarcastically, excusing herself to let Henderson know that everyone had arrived and dinner could be served. Sonny's mouth watered as the table started to fill up with all of his favorites: prime rib cooked perfectly to medium rare, crisp, grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes that smelled devilishly buttery and garlicky, freshly baked bread, and a glass of the best red wine from the famous cellars of Victor Kiriakis. The family started with polite conversation, concentrating on the delicious meal in front of them.

Once the main meal was cleared, and they sipped coffee while dessert was prepared, Adrienne spoke, "So Sonny. What exactly is keeping you from getting back together with Will? Is it because of your little fling with Brian?" Justin and Victor coughed and almost choked on their beverages. Maggie's cup clinked awkwardly on her saucer as she attempted to stifle her protest.

"I'm sorry," Sonny said sarcastically, "where is my Mother and what have you done with her?" The Kiriakis clan laughed softly.

"Ha, ha," his Mom said, "seriously, Sonny, you and Will seem so unhappy without each other. Is he holding that against you?"

Sonny paused and looked at his Mom with surprising honesty, "My 19 year old boyfriend found out that he was going to be a father, and he couldn't tell me the truth."

"Yes, I know that, Sonny. Couples go through hard times together, sometimes worse even than what broke you two up, but if they truly love each other, they make it work." Adrienne met her husband's eyes and smiled, knowing that's what they had done.

"Mom, I have to say that I am taken aback that you are the one encouraging me to patch things up with Will. You never were a big fan. And just to clear this up, I did not have a "fling" with Brian. I'm sure you are disappointed that didn't work out." Sonny glanced between his Dad and Victor, looking to them for back up.

"Sonny, maybe you aren't giving your mother enough credit," his Dad spoke softly.

"Oh Justin, I appreciate that, but I understand Sonny's skepticism too. I've done some pretty stupid things trying to interfere with his relationship with Will. I really, really regret that. Because truthfully, Will has surprised me in the way he is handling all of this. He's being more level-headed than his parents ever were...e-ver," she enunciated the last word by syllable.

The group sat in silence while Sonny's favorite chocolate mousse with berries was served for their last course. "Wow, Henderson, you really went all out! This is the best meal I've had in a long time!" Sonny grinned at the man who had been working for his family for as long as he could remember. In fact, Henderson was essentially part of their family, having gone through many tough times with the Kiriakis', always remaining loyal to Victor, no matter the circumstance.

"I'm happy to do it, Sonny. It's good to see you here and smiling," and nodding, Henderson headed back into the kitchen.

Sonny took a deep breath and setting down his spoon, started to explain the thoughts that keep him up at night, unable to get past Will's situation. "I am a strong, independent man, who has always known what I want from my life. I have travelled and want to do so much more exploring; I want to open another coffee shop or maybe even start another business; I want to have fun and go out on weekends and enjoy my college years. When I picture Will with a baby, raising a child, I am so afraid that down the road if I'm with him, there will be a time when I regret giving up my dreams to settle down. The last thing I want to do is stay with him because I feel obligated to help, knowing that one day I might resent him for just that." Sonny looked down at the table, running his fingers along the ridges of his spoon.

"Okay, Sonny, I see that. But let me ask you one more thing," Adrienne lifted Sonny's chin so he had to meet her gaze. "When you close your eyes and think honestly about what you want for your life, if you think hard about how your dreams have grown and changed, what do you see now? What can't you live without?"

Sonny sighed, "Mom..."

"Don't give me that, Sonny. I'm serious. I'm not one to easily forgive someone who is able to lie about something as big as a child, but I also cannot deny the connection that you and Will have. You are both amazing guys who are even more amazing together. And though it's hard to admit, I have never in my life seen you happier than you are with him. Not when you were away at school, not when you were backpacking through Europe, not even at the opening of Common Grounds. I love you Sonny, so much, which is why I'm saying this to you. Listen to your heart and let it lead you...and make a decision before it's too late, and what you regret the most is having to live your life without Will."


	7. Chapter 7

"Sonny," Chad said to his business partner for the second time as they stood together in the back office. "Sonny...SONNY..." and the harshness of Chad's voice startled Sonny so much that he dropped the sample bag of coffee beans he was supposed to be evaluating for their new decaf selection.

"What Chad!" Sonny retorted angrily as several of the whole beans fell from the bag to the floor. Chad paused before he continued, letting Sonny calm a bit.

"I don't get why you are doing this," he finally said.

"This?" Sonny demanded, "what is 'this' that you are referring to?" Chad gave Sonny a slightly frustrated yet sympathetic smile.

"Sonny, don't play dumb. We may have not been the best of friends lately, but come on man, you're not fooling anyone. Especially not yourself."

"Well, Chad, Mr. relationship expert, what do you suppose that I should do?" Sonny glared at his friend.

"Fair enough," Chad responded begrudgingly, "all I know is that 'this' is not working for you. You can't concentrate on the business, you hardly ever laugh anymore and you go from work to class to home with nothing else in your life."

Sonny sighed and looked at Chad sadly, "I know. I feel like I don't know what to do anymore."

"I can't tell you what to do Sonny, but I can tell you how I see things." Sonny was about to interrupt but Chad jumped back in before he could. "And I'm going to tell you whether you like it or not. So listen up. First of all, you spent the better part of last year becoming best friends with Will and eventually falling in love with him. Despite how you felt, you settled for being just friends knowing that Will wasn't comfortable being out or in any type of relationship yet. Then once you both got on the same page and admitted you had feelings for each other, your parents came along and got in the way. You finally got through all of that shit, you get together and proceed to spend just about every night with each other for months, happier than I've ever seen either of you. Now this is where my role as jackass comes in to play, and I try to ruin Gabi and end up ruining you two instead." Chad shakes his head and runs his fingers roughly through his hair. "I own up to that asinine move. Anyway, you break up with Will, try to move on and see Brian, which lasts for all of what - one day? You constantly hound Abigail for information about Will, and you 'accidentally' forget to cancel the gift you special ordered for him for Valentine's Day. It is obvious to everyone that you are still in love with him, and Will has made it clear that he feels the same. So, the final thing I'm going to say to you is to get off your ass and do something about it! What Will did sucks big time, and I feel awful that he lied to you. But is this really something you can't get past? After all the waiting, the patience and understanding you've had to have with him, the guidance you gave to him when he was so messed up and newly outed, you decide that this is what you can't get over, and now you give up?" Chad takes a deep breath, not quite finished with his lecture, "Love like yours doesn't come around often, take it from someone who had it and lost it. Don't be a fool and let him go again, Sonny."

"I appreciate all that you've said, Chad, and thanks for being honest. But you aren't in this; you can't possibly know how much Will's lies have hurt me. And I don't know if I can come back from that." Sonny shrugged and turned to clean the spilled beans from his desk and the floor.

"You are right, Sonny," Chad conceded so softly that Sonny had to stop what he was doing to hear him. "I don't know. But what I do know for sure is that if there was anything in the world I could do to get Melanie back in my life again, I would do it. Nothing...and no one could stop me. I don't get that chance...but you do. Please don't blow it."

((((()))))

Will checked his watch one more time and decided he'd wait only 5 more minutes before taking off. He only had a half hour now until his next appointment. Just as he was about to pack up his bag and leave, Abigail flew through the door, plopped down in the chair across from him and gave him a very breathless "Hi!"

"Um hello to you, too...everything okay?" Will asked, his eyes smiling at her.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I just got busy and time got away from me and the snow caused a bit more traffic...anyway, thanks for waiting. It's good to see you, Will." Abigail let out a deep breath and blew enough air to lift the hair up off of her forehead.

"You would think I'd be used to dealing with late people...Sonny could never make it on time...he was always running late." Will remembered more than once when Sonny would look at his watch, claim he was going to be late, and then snuggle back up to Will before getting ready. Each time Will scolded him, Sonny would always say: _I_ _waited long enough for you, William Horton, so, I am taking advantage of every single moment we have together. _Will bit his lip at the memory and tried to push Sonny out of his mind.

"How are things with you and Sonny?" Abigail asked carefully, as if she knew exactly what he had been thinking.

"It's not, Abigail. And I'm starting to wonder if I've been a pathetic fool waiting around for him...telling him I wasn't going to stop loving him thinking that might work to get him back. I was so hopeful a month ago; I could just look at him and convince myself that he still loved me, too. Now, I'm not so sure. Maybe it is time that I admit that it's over. But I don't even know how to start to do that." Will concluded uneasily.

"Will," Abigail reached across the table to grab his hand, "Sonny asks about you every time I see him. He thinks about you and obviously wants to know how you are doing. Just give him a little more time, okay?"

"I'm afraid that all the time in the world isn't going to make him forget how I hurt him. Especially when the baby comes, and she'll be a constant reminder of my deception."

Abby nodded and met his tired gaze, "you have to do what you think is best, Will. I'll support you both - no matter what. I just - well, personally I don't think this is the end of your story with Sonny."

"I don't know, Abby, now might be the time I have to tuck my tail between my legs and finally admit defeat. Sonny seems to have moved on...maybe it's time that I did, too."

((((()))))

Sonny was in his car on the way back from class when he heard one of Will's favorite songs come on the radio. Deciding to keep driving around so he could listen to all of it, Sonny turned up the volume and tried to concentrate on the words. _"When I look into your eyes, it's like watching the night sky, or a beautiful sunrise, well, there's so much they hold. And just like them old stars, I see that you've come so far to be right where you are; How old is your soul?"_ These lyrics made Sonny think of Will even more. He could get lost in Will's eyes, they used lay and stare at each other for what felt like hours, just breathing together and holding hands. Neither one of them wanting to be the first to look away. It was almost as if they couldn't...like they were joined together and wouldn't be able to function without the other near. Sonny's breath caught in his throat when he tried to imagine never sharing a moment like that with Will again. Pulling the car over, he knew that he needed to hear the rest of this song. Brushing away a stray tear, Sonny turned up the volume even louder: "_I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make. Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake. And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend for us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn, we had to learn how to bend without the world caving in. I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not, and who I am."_

The tears were falling constantly now as Sonny closed his eyes to hear the end. _"I won't give up on us, even if the skies get rough. I'm giving you all my love, I'm still looking up..."_ Slamming his palm onto the steering wheel, Sonny exclaimed, "Damn you, Jason Mraz! Why are your words making me question everything I know, everything I feel...and especially the decision I made not to be with Will?" Sonny let himself sit in his car and silently replayed what Will, Abigail, his Mom and Chad had all said to him over the last weeks. And when he finally let himself admit the truth, he knew that he had to find Will.

Sonny immediately grabbed his cell phone to call Will. It didn't even ring - it popped right into voicemail. "Odd," thought Sonny, "hope he hasn't blocked me." Realizing that he didn't care if that was the case, Sonny went through his contacts to find Sami's number.

After the second ring, she picked up, "Hi, Sonny. I'm surprised to hear from you. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am, actually. I really need to talk to Will, does he happen to be there? I tried his phone but it went right to voicemail."

"He's not here Sonny..." Sami paused momentarily before deciding whether or not to tell him what she knew. "But I do remember him talking about meeting Abigail at the pub for lunch. He's probably still there."

Sonny couldn't hide his gratitude, "Thank you so much Mrs. Brady. I'm serious...thank you." Sami smiled at the relief she heard in Sonny's voice, knowing she was right to tell him.

"Sure, good luck, Sonny."

Without hesitation, Sonny turned his car around and headed to Brady's Pub. He was starting to get nervous about what he was going to say to Will when he saw him. He was so sure that he needed to see him now...but was he prepared to tell Will how he felt? And was he ready for Will's response? All this time it had almost been easier keeping everything at arm's length. That way he could still believe that Will loved him, that his feelings hadn't changed, just like he said the night he returned Sonny's apartment key. Now over a month had passed, and Sonny couldn't help but worry that Will had finally given up on him. What then? What if Will doesn't want him anymore? His heart shattered at the thought. Sonny shook his head and told himself that there was no turning back now. If he loved Will - and he knew he did and always would - then he had to take the chance. He parked in the Square's lot and without being able to settle his nerves, jogged to the pub and pushed open the door.

"Sonny!" Abigail yelled and waved him over. She stood up from her seat at the table and gave him a huge hug. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Sonny glanced at the empty chair across from her and saw a half-eaten plate of food and an empty glass.

"I have to talk to Will. His Mom said that he was having lunch with you here, so I came right over. Is he in back?"

Abigail looked at him apologetically, "he just left Sonny. He had an appointment he had to get to. I'm sorry."

Face falling, Sonny let out the breath he had been nervously holding. "Oh."

"Sonny, you just missed him though...he only left about 10 minutes ago."

"Great," Sonny said disappointedly, "my luck...just missed him, hah?"

Abigail looked at him suspiciously, "You must have something pretty important to talk to him about, am I right?"

"I do Abigail. So, I need to get going now and find him," Sonny said turning to leave.

"Ummmm...Sonny?" she called back at him.

"Yes cousin..." he said impatiently.

"Don't you want to know where he went?"

Shaking his head and punching her arm lightly, Sonny pretended to be mad, "yeah! Were you going to let me run out of here before telling me?"

Abigail winked at him and replied, "I might have. I figured if I couldn't catch up to you, I'd just send you a text" she grinned widely. "He's at the clinic with Gabi and Nick - the one attached to the hospital. They have another sonogram today, so Will headed to meet them there for the appointment." Grabbing her and kissing her on the cheek, Sonny gave her a very quick "good-bye" and was off to make his way to the clinic.

Breaking about every speed limit law, Sonny made it to the clinic in record time. Not knowing where exactly they would be, Sonny started walking around the first floor looking for someone he might know. "Daniel - Dr. Jonas!" Sonny exclaimed as he saw him heading into an employee-only area.

"Hi there...what are you doing here?" Dr. Jonas asked as Sonny practically skipped to meet him.

"Will is here with Gabi and Nick for their next baby appointment. I have something really important to talk to Will about, do you happen to know where they'd be? Or could you at least point me in the right direction?" Daniel stared at Sonny, wanting to know more since the last he had heard, they were no longer together.

"Prenatal is on second floor in the east wing. They should be in one of those rooms." Sonny thanked Daniel profusely and headed to the elevators. He was getting so close, Sonny could feel it. And his stomach was feeling it too. It was churning, flipping with anticipation. Sonny swallowed hard, took a deep breath and pushed the button for the second floor.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Sonny was out looking for some indication of where to go. Right in front of him, he found a directory, and headed from his current spot to the Prenatal wing down the hallway and to the left. Arriving, Sonny was about to let out a sigh of relief, until he realized that he had no clue what room they'd be in. And there was no way that he could just knock on every one of them to check. "Crap!" he muttered, "what was I thinking?" and he stood helplessly in the middle of the waiting room, hoping maybe he could figure out a way to find them.

"Sonny, is that you?" and he turned around to find Dr. Kayla Brady approach the front desk.

"Oh my gosh, Kayla. Thank goodness it's you! It's so important that I see Will right now. He's here with Gabi & Nick for an appointment, but I forgot to ask which room. Now here I am and can't find him. " Kayla smiled and glanced at the schedule on the computer behind the desk.

"I really shouldn't be telling you, but you sound like you really need to see them. They are in room 213. She's having her sonogram there, so that's where they should still be."

Smiling his thanks, Sonny followed the signs to room 213 and peeked in. He didn't catch much happening in there, but he also hadn't looked for very long. He needed to take one last deep breath before disrupting their little family appointment, but he knew with all of his heart that he wanted to be there with Will. Sonny knew without a doubt that he needed to be with Will...and had to be a part of Will's little girl's life, too. He would do anything to not be apart from Will anymore. He turned around, knocked firmly at the door and carefully went in.

"Will...I know this isn't the best time, but I have something to tell you..." Sonny's voice trailed off as he walked into a completely empty room. Where were they? Sonny was starting to get the feeling that he shouldn't have come. Maybe these were all signs that things weren't meant to work out between them. That maybe he was right all along and should let Will be. Exhausted and frustrated with himself, Sonny leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. "What the hell am I doing here? I am being a complete idiot thinking that this is a good idea. I am so dumb. I need to get out of here..." and Sonny pulled on the door to the hallway and took a step out, letting it shut behind him. As he watched the door close and turned hastily to find his way back out, Sonny was hit from behind by someone exiting the next room. "I am so sorry," Sonny began apologizing and found himself staring into the beautiful blue eyes of William Horton.

"Sonny, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Will asked concerned and very surprised.

"Everything is fine now, Will. It's just fine. Do you have a moment so we can talk?" Sonny smiled. Will simply nodded and led them into a quiet corner of the waiting room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Moving On...Together**

Will opened his eyes at the morning sunlight streaming through his bedroom window, and he smiled. Actually, Will woke up smiling, and he's pretty sure that he went to bed that way, too. In fact, he wouldn't be at all surprised if that smile stayed on his face all night long as he slept and dreamed about his day. He chuckled openly as he looked down at himself completely sprawled across his bed like the letter X. Arms wide, legs slightly bent, his stomach flat against the sheet, Will felt free. He couldn't even remember a time during this last month that he hadn't woken up in a tight ball, sore from the tension. Every night Will would climb reluctantly into bed and under the covers, tuck his legs and arms in around him and stare at the shadow of the bedside table until he fell asleep. He couldn't bear to turn the other way and see half of the bed empty. But this morning, Will stretched himself out like a rubberband and rolled from one side to the other. He was more than happy; he was giddy, invigorated, buoyant.

Will expected yesterday to go pretty much as it had: class in the morning, lunch with Abigail and baby appointment in the afternoon. What he did not expect was to find Sonny at the clinic, looking for him, wanting to talk. Sonny wanted to talk to him. It was the first time since their break-up that he initiated a conversation, and Will couldn't help but feel that things would be different this time. But they would end up having to wait talk, since just as soon as they settled into the not-so-comfortabe pleather chairs of the waiting room, Nick came looking for Will. Gabi's Dr had just finished delivering a baby and was running late to their appointment. So, they decided to go ahead with the sonogram first. Wanting both to see his little girl and to stay with Sonny had his stomach in knots. He was so afraid that if he let Sonny go, that he would disappear, that he wouldn't want to talk to Will after all. Knowing the decision he had to make, he looked at tentatively at Sonny.

"Will, you better get going. You don't want to miss this," Sonny said breaking the silence.

"But, Sonny..."

"I know Will. I really want to talk to you, too. Could we get together tonight instead? Do you have plans?"

"That's perfect, perfect. I can't wait. Should we meet at the coffee shop or the pub?" Will asked as he got up and started gathering his bag and coat.

"Sure." Sonny paused for a moment, changing his mind, "I'd like to talk somewhere a bit more private though. It's pretty likely that we'll run into people we know if we go to one of those places."

Will nodded and pointed a finger at Sonny, "Good point. Ummm...why don't you pick up dinner and come to my place then? You could stop at that Thai place near you? Does that sound good?"

"Yeah, Will, that sounds great. What should I get you?"

"Will," Nick yelled from down the hall, "we are waiting on you..."

"Jeez. Okay, I have to go. Order whatever - you know what I like. So...6 o'clock then?"

"Sure." And with that Will gave Sonny a little wave and headed to his appointment. "Wait Will!" Sonny called out running to catch up to him. "I have no idea where you live now."

Will stopped and tilted his head slightly, biting his bottom lip. "Wow, you're right. I'll text you the address. It'll be easy to find. I'm actually not that far from you."

Sonny laughed, chocolate eyes sparkling, a wide smile spreading across his face, "See you later Will. Good luck at your appointment...I can't wait to hear about it."

Will had shared so many meals with Sonny, they had spent most nights at Sonny's place since November and even used to conserve water (Sonny would say, trying to be serious) by showering together. This man knew the most intimate details about him, and yet Will could not stop himself from being as nervous as he was the night of their first date. They were in a way, back at the beginning. And though Will was very excited, he didn't want to expect too much from the night. He didn't even know for sure what Sonny wanted to talk about. So, Will tried to calm himself as he straightened up his apartment just enough to be neat but not too much to seem presumptive. Will was in the bathroom taking one last look at his hair when he heard Sonny buzz him from the lobby. Will checked his watch as he let Sonny in.

Opening the door he teased, "Seriously? 6 pm on the dot? I tried for months to stop you from being late and now that we aren't together anymore, you show up on time."

Sonny smiled briefly but his expression quickly turned apologetic, "I'm sorry, Will."

"Sonny, come on, I was trying to be funny...I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me."

"It's okay, Will, I guess I'm just a little nervous...I didn't mean to seem uptight. Thank you for agreeing to see me tonight. I'm really glad to be here." Sonny reached out to hug Will, their dinner still in his hand. Will relished the touch, even if he was being jabbed slightly by the corner of the take-out bag. It felt like it had been forever since he had last held Sonny, since he had been close enough to smell the soap mixed with coffee lingering on his skin. It had been forever since their last kiss, the last time they made love, the last time they woke in the morning in each other's arms. Though this embrace was fleeting, and Sonny pulled away, Will couldn't get himself to move from that spot. "Can I come in?" Sonny asked holding up their food.

"Yeah," Will giggled and moved to let Sonny inside. He took the food to the table and headed to the refrigerator for drinks. "Water, soda...what would you like?" Will asked as he buried his face in the cool air, trying to calm his body down from their hug. _Oh my gosh_, Will thought to himself as he waited for Sonny's response. _It's been so long that a simple innocent hug has me breathing fast and slightly aroused. _He shook his head frustratingly at the open fridge.

"Did you say something Will?" Sonny asked, his voice so soft, almost as if he was closer to Will than the kitchen table.

"Nope!" Will responded a little too loudly. He grabbed two bottles of water and spun quickly around. Will gasped as he turned right into Sonny, who was standing no more than a couple inches from him. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it again not knowing what to say. He could feel Sonny's breath on his face, his brown eyes focused so intently on his blue ones, so much passing between them without a word being spoken.

"Will," Sonny whispered his name, "I feel it too," and Will closed his eyes as Sonny reached up to touch his cheek. "Open your eyes..." and as Will did as he was told, he watched Sonny close the gap that had barely separated them just moments ago. Sonny's lips brushed against his - gentle, soothing at first. It was almost as amazing as their very first kiss outside the pub. His heart was pounding just as hard and he couldn't keep his hand from burying itself in Sonny's hair. Soon their kiss was more insistent, and Will was pushed up again the refrigerator door, Sonny flush against him. As they opened their mouths together, letting the other in, Will grabbed for Sonny's waist, dropping the bottles of water. Startled, their eyes flew open and were mesmerized by the items rolling across the floor.

"I suppose maybe we should eat our dinner?" Sonny asked with a smirk, leaning over to stop the bottles from going any further. He picked one up and handed it to Will, "was it okay that I kissed you? I just wanted to do that since I first saw you this afternoon, so..."

"That was amazing," Will replied earnestly, reassuringly, "I'm really glad you did."

"Good!" Sonny said relieved. "Then let's eat; I am starving." They sat down at the table and started digging in, chatting easily and comfortably sharing their food with one another. Will was surprised at how normal it felt to be here with Sonny, eating dinner together, talking about the day. It was as if that kiss had released them both. The nervousness, the doubts and anticipation that had been building furiously since that afternoon were all gone. They finished their food, packed up the leftovers and headed to the couch.

Sitting at opposite ends, Will spoke first: "So, you wanted to talk?"

"Yes," Sonny responded simply, "I think it's time that we do."

"I came here prepared to tell you just how much you hurt me, but I can see clearly every time you look at me that you already know. I was completely devastated that day at the church because I thought we were through with secrets. And I won't pretend that I totally understand why you did it, but I do feel like there were others pressuring you to feel like you had no other choice. Still, you lied to me, Will, and I know that I never want to feel that horrible again. But I also know that in spite of that, I don't want to be without you. I love you so much - I never stopped." Sonny paused and watched Will's eyes open in surprise. "You have to know that love wasn't the issue, right Will?"

"But you never told me and then you and Brian..."

"Brian and I went out, it didn't feel right to me and I went home early - and alone. Before you say it, I know I don't owe you an explanation, but if we're going to commit to complete honesty this time, I want everything out in the open. Brian and I kissed. It didn't even come close to the way I feel when you kiss me, Will. You take my breath away...every single time."

Will smiled shyly, grabbed Sonny's hand and brought his palm to his lips. "I feel the same way about you, Sonny. I've missed you so much."

"I don't think we should make lofty promises about never lying to each other again, because I recognize that there may be times that we have to," thinking about what he knew about Gabi but couldn't share with Will. "Let's instead commit to being truthful and honest always. And if you are scared to share something with me, please tell me that, too. I know it makes you feel terribly vulnerable, but I can't have this any other way. Can you agree to that, Will?"

"Yes, Sonny, and I really mean that. The fear I had about losing you in no way compares to the misery I've felt this last month knowing how much I betrayed you. I will earn your trust back, Sonny. I am so in love with you and am willing to do whatever it takes to make this work." Sonny and Will sealed their agreement with a tender kiss and when they broke, they settled into each others arms, listening to their hearts beat together.

After a couple hours of talking, snuggling, and kissing, Sonny stood from the couch to leave. "I'm going to go. I have to open tomorrow, so it'll be an early morning." Will, offering no protest, grabbed Sonny's hand tightly, wanting to stay connected as long as possible. As Sonny opened the door to leave, he reached into his messenger bag and pulled out the backgammon set he had given and taken back from Will just a few short weeks ago. "Tomorrow, your lessons start." Sonny said with a wink.

"Looking forward to it!" They shared a last goodnight kiss and let their fingers drift slowly apart. "Good night, Sonny."

"Good night, Will. I love you."

"I love you, too," and Will closed the door as Sonny turned to leave. Setting the backgammon set on his kitchen table where he had first unwrapped it, Will ran his fingers along the etching in the front. He released the clasp and opened the board, admiring once again the texture and smell of the wood. Laying it flat on the table, Will was surprised to see another note inside with his name on it, though this time it was a simple white piece of paper, folded in half: _Will, let's try this again - to our new beginning. I love you with all my heart and am so glad we are back together. Love, Sonny_


	9. Chapter 9

**One Month Later**

"What do you think of this color?" Will asked as he started to paint the wall closest to the door.

"I told you, Will, I really like it. I think it will be perfect." Sonny smiled at his boyfriend as he affirmed - yet again - the choice Will had made for the baby's room. To emphasize his point, Sonny picked up the mobile Will had chosen which sparked the idea for the nursery's theme. As he held it up, the light grabbed the iridescence of the moon and stars and made the crisp lemony yellow of the sun pop. The light coral shade that Will chose for the walls was bright enough to be cheery, soft enough to be calming and just feminine enough for his little girl. Also for the room, Will had found a beautiful wicker rocking chair with ottoman, a lamp and pillows with kites and flowers blowing in the wind, and bedding the pure aqua color of the ocean.

Will looked so proud of the playful and delicate decor he had chosen for his daughter that Sonny couldn't resist pulling him in for a kiss, paint brush and all. Lips moving together, Sonny wrapped his arms around Will's waist and settled him in close where their bodies fit perfectly together like puzzle pieces, one completing the other. Will stepped back briefly dropping his paint brush into the tray on the floor and resumed his place against Sonny.

"You are creating such a beautiful space for her...it is going to be wonderful, Will. You are going to be an incredible Dad."

"Are you sure, Sonny?" Will questioned, his insecurities always showing when he talked about becoming a parent.

"I am sure," and Sonny attempted to kiss away his fears, lips floating gently over Will's cheeks, eyelids, temple, and nose, finally landing back on his mouth. Grabbing each other with a bit more urgency, Sonny joked, "isn't it a little too soon to christen the nursery? Shouldn't we at least wait until the paint dries?" Sonny felt Will smile and pull back, laughing at how quickly they were able to get each other distracted from the job they took the day off to complete.

"Okay," Will said tentatively, "only if you promise that we get to before the baby arrives."

"Well, we have in every other room of your apartment, haven't we?" And Will's smile widened at the memory he quickly conjured of their lovemaking on the couch, up against the kitchen counter, in the shower, and of course in the bedroom. It had been an amazing month as Will and Sonny made up for lost time. They spent many nights staying awake until the early hours of the morning talking, planning, dreaming, touching, loving being together again.

"I'm going to hold you to that promise..." Will teased as he sighed and let go of Sonny. Sonny laughed, knowing that Will would. "Hey Sonny?"

"Yes, Will," Sonny replied as they made progress on the first wall.

"Could you do me a favor and grab a pencil out of my back pack? I want to mark where I want the mirror and shelves, but I've got a little more paint on me than you do, and I don't want to track it through the rest of the house." Seeing Sonny nod, he added, "there should be one in the front pocket." Sonny cleaned off his hands and headed to the living room where he last saw Will's bag. Unzipping the pocket, Sonny found only pens and highlighters. He did the same for the next pocket towards the middle and peeked down trying to find a pencil. Sure there had to be at least one, he reached in and grabbed a handful.

"Ha, pencils!" Sonny celebrated as he sorted through the bag's treasures: a pack of cinnamon gum, a tissue - maybe used, maybe not, a condom (good that Will was always prepared), a receipt from the gas station and a piece of paper, neatly folded in fourths. As he started putting things he didn't need back in Will's bag, he noticed one side of the note had a name written on it; his name. Surprised and more than curious, Sonny took the pencil and note back into the nursery.

"Will?" he asked, staring into his blue eyes. "What's this?" and he held up the note that Will had written and tucked away in his back pack over a month ago.

Closing his eyes tightly, Will responded, "It's nothing really..."

"I don't believe that for a minute, Will. Please tell me." Sonny pleaded softly, wanting to know what was so important that Will had to write it down.

"Well, okay." And Will stopped painting once again and came close to stand by Sonny. "Two days after Valentine's, I was still really upset and pissed at myself for thinking your gift meant you wanted to get back together. Anyway, I needed to get you out of my mind, so a friend told me that writing a letter to you sharing my deepest feelings might make me feel better...especially if I burned the letter to sort of "cleanse" you from my system. So, I wrote it...but, I couldn't actually bring myself to destroy it. I guess I wasn't ready to give up yet." Will smiled and reached out to take the note from Sonny.

"Will," he asked and pulled the letter back from Will's grasp, "would you read it to me?"

"Ummm...Sonny, no, I don't think I can do that. There's a lot of really deep shit in there; I don't know if I can handle it. If you want, you can read it though."

Sonny shook his head and looked Will directly in the eyes, "Please, read it to me, Will." And his gentle voice and earnest stare made Will acquiesce almost immediately.

"Okay, Sonny. I'll read it to you...just once."

Will pulled open the note and began: "Dear Sonny, I am writing this letter to you with no intention of actually sending it. In doing this, I hope to get out all of these feelings I have for you and start the process of moving on. I don't expect it to work. But right now I'm willing to try anything." Will glanced to check out Sonny's expression, but his face didn't shift; he kept his eyes on Will, encouraging him to go on. "I love you, Sonny. I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but I know now that it did earlier than I ever admitted to you...or myself. The days of working together on the website, the chats we had before I came out, the night we stayed up trying to help EJ, all made me realize how connected I felt to you even then. Falling in love with you was magical. I didn't feel the uneasiness so many others described - you know, not being able to eat or sleep. I only felt joy every time I thought of you or saw you. Kissing you was more earth-shattering than I ever could have imagined and making love with you was beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for helping me see what love is really about. Thank you for giving me the gift of your trust, your love, your confidence, even if I ultimately blew it. I am so sorry...words will never be able to express just how much. Please know that my fear of losing you had nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. I will regret keeping secrets from you for the rest of my life." Will paused to clear his throat. "Sonny, I will always love you. I don't say that to be melodramatic, I say it because it's true. You were my first love, and I will never be totally over that." Will stopped to take a breath and tried to continue. "I wish..." Will bit his lip and shook his head, "Sonny, I can't."

Taking the letter from him, Sonny finished what Will couldn't, "I wish that we could be together, preparing to bring a baby into this world and into our home. I wish that I could see you as a father. I wish I had believed in us - in me - enough to make our relationship work. I wish that you were here now, so that I could hold you in my arms once again. Most of all, I wish for you a happy, fulfilled life, because you deserve only the best. Yours always, Will."

Standing in silence, they both stared at the letter still open in Sonny's hand. Will spoke first, "I never wanted to give up on us, Sonny. I just didn't know what else to do."

"Thank you for sharing it with me. I am glad you didn't burn it."

"Yeah," was all Will could say and nod his head.

"So, what do we do with this now?" asked Sonny gesturing to the note, "I'm not sure this is the kind of memorabilia we want to save to show to our grandkids someday..."

"Do you think we'll get to do that, Sonny? Tell stories of how we met to our grandchildren?"

"I hope so, Will. I know that life can be unpredictable at times, but I'd like to think that a future together is possible for us if we really want it."

Will reached for Sonny's hand, "Me too." Taking the letter from Sonny, Will led him out into the kitchen. "Let's burn this."

Sonny looked puzzled and slightly hurt, "but isn't that what you were supposed to do to forget me?"

"Not forget - but cleanse. So, let's use this to free ourselves of the burdens of the past. Let's burn away the hurt we both felt, the deception, and the loneliness. I don't think I ever need to read this letter again to know how lucky I am to have gotten a second chance with you. Let's burn it to symbolize our new beginning."

"Okay, Will. I'll find matches." and Sonny started looking through the kitchen drawers. Will cleaned a couple glasses out of the sink, turned the faucet to the side and started cold water running. "Found 'em," Sonny said as he joined Will in front of the sink.

Taking a match, Will struck it and immediately put the fire to the bottom corner of his note. Sonny struck a second match and held it near the top, starting the letter burning at both ends. They watched the fire for a second before it got too hot for Will to hold, and he let it fall into the sink. As the letter quickly turned to ash, Sonny pulled Will to him.

"I never want you to have to write another note like that again." Sonny whispered in Will's ear. Arms around Sonny's neck, Will stepped back and took in the sight of the most beautiful man he had ever seen.

"I don't want to either" and he and Sonny leaned into a kiss so tender, so sweet it took their breath away. Cupping Will's jaw, Sonny deepened their embrace and let his hand fall to the buttons on the front of his shirt. Slowly undoing one at a time, Sonny never let his lips part from Will's as he pushed the shirt from Will's shoulders. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of Will's impeccably chiseled chest, and Sonny couldn't help a soft, yearning moan from escaping his mouth. Will met his gaze, reading his mind, eyes glazed over and full of passion. Without speaking, Will pulled Sonny toward the bedroom.

So in tune with each other, neither of them noticed at first a familiar sound coming from Sonny's pocket. "Could my Dad have worse timing?" Sonny asked frustratingly, "I don't have to answer it Will."

"No, you better," he responded rationally, "it might be important."

"Dad," Sonny clipped still holding Will's hand, "what's up?"

"Are you with Will, Son?" Justin inquired.

"Yep. We are at his apartment painting the baby's room. Is there something going on?" Sensing Sonny's impatience, Justin got right to it.

"Nick and Gaby are moving on this custody thing soon. I shouldn't even be talking to you, but Will needs to get into contact with the lawyer EJ has on retainer for him. Please, Sonny, take this seriously. Actually, put Will on for a moment." Sonny handed the phone to a confused Will.

"Hi Justin, what's going on?" Will was getting a bit nervous.

"Will, as soon as we hang up, you need to call the attorney EJ got for you. Tell her that you need to be prepared at any time to start this custody battle. I'm afraid I know a bit too much about Nick and Gaby, and I just have this feeling that they are planning a surprise attack."

"Are you sure?" Will asked, once again giving the mother of his child and her new husband the benefit of the doubt.

"Will," Justin said so sternly, his voice made Will jump, "**call her now.** I can't tell you any more than I already have. One thing I do know for sure, though, is that you need to be ready for the worst from those two."


	10. Chapter 10

Sonny's nose itched like crazy. He had been trying to sleep through it, but he couldn't stop focusing on that annoying feeling. Normally, he wouldn't hesitate to reach up and scratch, but he was so comfortable he didn't want to move a muscle. He'd just have to suffer. He tried wiggling his nose a bit. He even tried meditation...thinking about his body at peace. Neither of those approaches worked, and he was starting to feel a sneeze coming on. "Aaachoo!" Sonny's body jerked startling Will out of a very blissful sleep.

"What the h..." his eyes wide open, "are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm so sorry Will. I tried not to wake you up, we were so comfortable, but your hair was tickling my nose."

Will chuckled, " I suppose it is getting a little...ah...big." Sonny grinned.

"I like it Will. I have a bit more to grab onto, you know, when I want to." He ran his fingers through Will's blonde locks and pulled.

"Ouch!"

"That's not what you said when I did that last night," Sonny teased.

"Yeah, well, you used that move in combination with another that took my mind off the pain."

"Hmmm...did I do something like this?" Sonny asked as he tugged harder on Will's hair, nipping his ear and kissing his way down to the soft patch of dark hair on Will's chest.

"Mmmmm...something like that..." Will whispered wrapping his arms and legs around Sonny.

"I should get to work," Sonny mumbled against Will's shoulder.

"You're right, you should or you'll be late again." Will pulled back to look into Sonny's eyes, now a shade darker with desire.

"But I am the boss," he smiled, "plus, I'm not one to waste an opportunity to spend more time with my gorgeous and very naked boyfriend in our bed."

A half hour later, Sonny's fingertips drew lazy circles on Will's back as they both caught their breath, satiated and content. "Now I really have to get going," and Sonny reluctantly slid out from under Will, taking a moment to stare at the beautiful man still occupying his side of their bed. Will's eyes were closed, but he could feel Sonny watching him.

"Go!" he ordered grinning and shifted his head the other direction.

"Fine!" Sonny said, defeated. "I"m going to hop in the shower. In about 5, come in, and then you can join me at the coffee house for breakfast before you head off to class."

"Sounds good to me," Will responded happily. In 20 minutes, they were both showered and dressed, and Sonny was finishing his hair while Will brushed his teeth. "We ready?" Will asked as he spit out the last of the toothpaste.

"Let's go," Sonny replied grabbing Will's bag from the table, settling it over his shoulder as he locked the apartment door behind them.

From the square, Common Grounds looked packed. Sonny was pleased to see this kind of business on a Tuesday morning, and he knew he'd need to jump in and help as soon as he got there. "You grab a table, if there is one, okay? It looks like I'm going to need to help out until this rush is over." Sonny opened the door of his coffee shop and stopped dead in his tracks, causing Will to stumble as he tried to halt his own forward movement.

"What's wrong, Sonny?" Will questioned, placing a hand on Sonny's back to steady himself.

"Ah, this isn't the kind of rush I had hoped for." As Sonny walked through the door, he tried to comprehend the sight before him. There were at least 4 people wearing dark blue jackets with 'FBI Agent' written across the back, standing around Chad.

"Sonny, thank God you are here. I don't understand everything they said, but they have a warrant to look through all of our stuff. Something about money being transferred to a 'questionable' account..." Chad trailed off trying unsuccessfully to appear more aloof than concerned.

"What is this about?" Sonny stepped in the middle of the agents, quickly taking control. "I need to know why you are here and what evidence you have to search our records?" Channelling his father, Sonny demanded an explanation before he'd let them back into the office. Stepping forward, one of the agents showed him the warrant.

"We have been monitoring some accounts tied to known terrorists - domestic and international - and one of the wire transfers was initiated from an account tied to this coffee shop." The agent put his hand out, "I'm Agent Malcolm, lead on this investigation. It might be nothing, but we have to explore every avenue." Sonny shook his hand,

"Sonny Kiriakis. And this is my partner, Chad DiMera. We have nothing to hide." Looking at Chad, "Can you show them to the office while I call my Dad?" Chad nodded and led the agents to the back.

"What's going on, Sonny?" Will came right up to him, "can I do anything?" Sonny dialed his Dad and bit his lower lip.

"Yeah, can you clear off some tables? Try to help out a little while Chad and I are taking care of this?" Sonny furrowed his brow and listened to his Dad's voicemail message. "I don't know what this is about, but I find it quite ironic that the day after my Dad warns you about Nick and Gaby, my coffee shop is invaded by the FBI." Sonny closed his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before leaving a message for his Dad.

"Dad, I need to talk to you now. I'm going to try your office and then Mom. There are FBI agents here at the shop going through our records. Please get here if you can or at least call me as soon as you get this." Scrolling through his phone, Sonny was about to call his Dad's office when Justin walked through the door and rushed right over to his son.

"What the hell is going on Sonny? I overheard someone outside say that there were cops in here."

Sonny let out a small sigh of relief, "Thanks, Dad. They are not cops...but FBI agents. They've apparently traced a transfer from one of Common Grounds' accounts to some terrorist or something. Can they do that?"

Justin nodded, scratching his chin, "with the passage of the Patriot Act, it gives the FBI a lot more leeway to check people out even if it's based on only a slight suspicion. I'm going to go back and talk to them." Sonny's Dad headed to the office and turned to look at his son, "Just keep on serving your customers as if nothing unusual is happening. They won't know that this wasn't expected. It'll be fine, Sonny."

Sonny made his way back behind the front counter where Will was attempting to help by taking orders and pouring coffee. "Thank you so much," he said "do you need to get to class?"

Will looked at Sonny reassuringly, "No, I'm staying here with you. I'll help as long as you need it." And they worked together to get everyone's orders taken care of while trying to keep their minds off of what might be going on in back. Chad came out soon after Sonny's Dad arrived.

"Do you mind if I go?" he asked, clearly freaked out.

"No, Chad. Thanks. I'll let you know what happens. Hopefully my Dad will be able to sort this all out." And before Sonny even finished his sentence, Chad was out the door.

Will lifted his shoulders, "do you think he'll be okay?"

"He'll be fine," Sonny said, "He is a DiMera after all. This sort of stuff shouldn't shock him anymore." Sonny smiled at Will and resumed steaming milk for the two latte orders they had left to fill.

Three hours later Will sat on the couch in the coffee house, enjoying the silence and a fresh cup of coffee. "Sonny, come sit with me, please. It's been a crazy morning and you need a break." He motioned his boyfriend over to him and got up to get refills for both of them.

"It feels good to sit." Sonny spoke finally, sipping carefully as he watched steam waft from his mug. "I am so glad my Dad showed up when he did. He's got quite a few contacts, so maybe he'll be able to figure out what that was about." Will kept his eyes on Sonny as he nervously tapped his fingers on the back of the couch.

"I'm sure he will, Sonny," and he reached across to grab Sonny's hand, holding it still.

"And I thought my biggest worry of the day would be getting your hair out of my nose without waking you up." Sonny leaned over and kissed Will gently on the mouth. "I really appreciate you staying here with me. I felt a lot better with you by my side."

Will looked Sonny deeply in the eyes, "You have to know, Sonny, I'm always going to be by your side, no matter what. It's going to take a lot more than a few little FBI agents to scare me away." Will squeezed Sonny's hand and delicately lifted it to his lips. "I can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with Nick. I just can't shake what your Dad said last night...and then this? Would he really go to these lengths to make sure we don't get custody of the baby?" Sonny moved closer, rested his head on Will's shoulder, and breathed in his comforting, musky smell.

"The guy was in prison. I'm not sure anything is off limits for him." Sonny laced his fingers through Will's. "We need to figure out for sure if Nick is behind this. If he is, we need to stop him. Or at least find something we can use against him."


	11. Chapter 11

Will stayed with Sonny at the coffee shop until his shift was over. For how quickly the morning flew by, the afternoon moved at an equally sluggish pace. By 2pm, Will had missed all of his classes for the day. But he felt much better having stayed with Sonny after the crazy events of the morning. Will tried hard not to dwell too much on the idea of Nick's involvement, but the thought nagged at him, always bringing him back to the same conclusion: Nick had to be behind the FBI's visit to Common Grounds this morning.

As Sonny took off his apron, he gave Will a tired smile, "thank you so much for staying with me through my shift. I don't know if I could have made it these last couple of hours without you." Will decided to see if Sonny might be willing to run a little errand with him, since he kind of owed him a favor now.

"So...I know we're both pretty tired, but I was wondering if we could make one stop on the way home?" Will looked at his boyfriend tentatively.

"Okay, Will. As long as we can go home after that and take a nap."

Will beamed, "Definitely! Great. Ummm...because you know the changing table we ordered from Babies R Us? It arrived yesterday, and I didn't think we'd have any time to pick it up before this weekend, but now we have an unexpected couple of hours together...so are you game?" He was babbling, he knew it, but he also knew that Sonny couldn't resist him when he got excited like that.

"I am, dear...let's go get that table. But will you please drive?" Sonny looked at Will haggardly as he threw the car keys to him.

At the customer service desk, Will presented the receipt and waited for the changing table to be brought up front. After a couple of minutes of staring at the couple, the girl behind the counter finally mumbled, "do you have any other shopping to do? Because this might take a few minutes...the guys in the warehouse can be kind of slow sometimes..." Will's eyes met Sonny's, and he mouthed the word "sorry". Sonny just shook his head; it wasn't Will's fault the store was slow.

"We can go, Sonny," Will said quickly, reaching out to take his hand. "I'll just come back some other time. Let's just go home."

"No," Sonny said firmly, holding his palms up to stop Will from taking back the receipt. "We're already here. But let's at least walk around the store. If I keep standing here, I'm going to fall asleep, and then you'll have to carry both me and the changing table out to the car." Will smiled as he nodded his head in agreement.

"We're going to shop a little. Do you think if we're back in 20 minutes it will give them enough time to get it up here?" he asked the girl who was still staring at them from behind the counter.

"Yeah," she managed as she chewed on her thumb nail, "20 minutes should be plenty of time."

"Great. We'll be back then," and they headed into one of the video game aisles.

"So, what exactly are we shopping for?" Will asked as they sauntered past the Xbox games, not even stopping to take a look.

"I don't know, Will. Are there other things we need? Do we have enough diapers, bottles, bedding, pacifiers..." Sonny trailed off as he continued naming just about every baby accessory he could think of.

"We have a lot of that, but remember, our Moms are throwing us a baby shower in a month and a half? Most of that stuff is on our gift registry."

"That's right," Sonny acknowledged as they made their way through rows of baby monitors, breast pumps and car seats. "Wow, we're going to need a lot of stuff for this baby, aren't we?" Sonny asked nervously looking out at the remaining half of the store they hadn't even been into yet.

"Yep. Babies tend to require a fair amount of supplies to meet all their needs. They are pretty helpless when they're born." Will grinned at Sonny and enjoyed teasing him about their impending parenthood. For Will, the idea had settled in, and he loved daydreaming about how wonderful it will be raising his daughter with Sonny. But he had known about this baby a good couple of months before Sonny found out. So, Will understood that Sonny was still getting used to the newness of being a father. It didn't keep Will from having a little fun with him, though.

"I know," Will suddenly had a thought, "let's try to find an outfit to bring her home from the hospital in." Sonny was about to say something about not knowing if the baby would actually come home with them, but he didn't have the heart to burst Will's bubble.

"Okay, let's find her something real cute!" Sonny said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. He found Will's hand, and they made their way to the center of the store into a sea of onesies, sleepers, dresses and overalls...one outfit cuter than the next.

"So, I was thinking that since she'll be born in the spring, we should have something heavy enough if it's more on the chilly side while being cool enough if it's already getting warm." Sonny laughed at how much thought Will seemed to have already put into this decision.

"Agreed. One piece, two piece? Do we need a hat, mittens so she doesn't scratch herself, booties?"

"I think we will need all of that, but let's just focus on finding the right outfit. Something that makes her look adorable but not too girly." Will giggled in spite of himself.

"Wait," Sonny said pausing to glance back at his boyfriend, "what do you mean by 'too girly'? Are you saying that you don't want her to wear dresses and hair bows?"

Will took a breath before he answered, "No, not exactly. I mean, if she wants to wear that stuff, great, but I'm also fine if she doesn't. What I meant was that just because she's a girl, I do not want her in pink or flowers all the time. That drives me nuts."

Sonny pouted. "Oh, but Will, little girls are so cute when they are in frilly dresses and buckle shoes! Plus, we've come a long way in terms of sexist colors...pink can be masculine, too." Will huffed at him and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. Just because you look particularly hot in your pink button down shirt doesn't mean that all men wear it as well."

Sonny winked coyly, "you think I'm hot in that shirt? I never knew. I haven't worn it in a while...maybe I'll have to pull that out for tomorrow." Will laughed as he selected a leopard print footed sleeper from the rack nearest him.

"Something like this is cute."

"Um, maybe for Snooki's baby," Sonny retorted while Will pretended to look hurt.

"Well, then you suggest something." And Sonny filtered through a rack, stopping on a dress with sunflowers and a cardigan.

"Seriously?" Will eyed him quizzically, "you don't approve of my animal print but instead prefer old lady flowers?"

"Will! This dress is adorable! And it's not pink."

"Okay, I'll give you that. It's not pink. But it is very, very yellow. And ruffly."

Sonny shook his head in frustration, "ruffly? I don't even think that's a word."

"If it isn't I'm making it one now. I mean, c'mon. Look at the bottom of that dress...how many poofy layers does it have...like 10?"

"Ha, ha, Will. Try 3. And they're not all that poofy."

"Sorry, Sonny, it's not my taste at all. I want cute but practical. It's gotta be easy to clean and not too hard to get off when she needs a diaper change."

Sonny smiled at him adoringly, "did you just say what I think you said?"

Will blushed, "yes, you heard me. I guess you just never pictured us shopping for baby clothes so soon into our relationship, huh?"

"Will, it's not that. I am so happy to be preparing for your daughter's arrival with you. Honestly. I'm just so proud of you, you've really committed yourself to being a good parent. She's a lucky girl to have you for a Dad."

"I'm the lucky one, Sonny, having you as a partner in this means so much. We're going to both be great Dads."

Putting back the sleeper and the dress, Will and Sonny headed back to the customer service desk. It had been closer to 30 minutes, so that changing table better be ready considering they gave the staff an extra 10 minutes. "Mr Horton? Your package is up front by the doors. Do you need help getting it to your car?"

"Sure, why not," and they made their way to the car and then back to Will's place.

Later that evening, Sonny was in the nursery, changing table box open and pieces scattered about. Will came in just as Sonny was grabbing the instruction manual, "Good, perfect timing. I'll read and you can assemble."

"What, no!" Will said defiantly. "I am the tech guy, you know, good at figuring out directions. You're more um...hands on."

"I don't think so. You're much more handsy, or should I say handy, than I am." Sonny smirked at Will.

"Wait - what do you mean by 'handsy'?"

"Please, Will, your hands seem to have a mind of their own...I just figured you could put them to good use." Will didn't even argue, he knew Sonny was right. But could he help it if he couldn't keep his hands off his gorgeous, brown-eyed boyfriend? Coming quietly up behind him as he started to page through the directions, Will wrapped his arms around Sonny's waist and nuzzled his neck.

"Can I persuade you into postponing plan A for my much more enticing Plan B, christening this room? Because I have an idea of how I can put these hands to good use..." and Will gently pulled Sonny's hips back against him.

"Woah," Sonny gasped and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feel of Will pressed firmly to his backside, leaving nothing to the imagination. "You are turned on by this?" Sonny finally teased once he caught his breath.

"Yes I am," Will didn't hesitate, "do you have a problem with that?"

"Nope," Sonny replied, "I just never thought I'd have a boyfriend who gets aroused while putting together baby furniture."

"Oh, Sonny, you know how bookshelves and coffee tables and dining room sets make me so hot." Will tried his best to sound sensual, but he couldn't make it through the last words without cracking up.

"Wow, if I would have known that, I would have planned our first date at Ikea."

"Seriously though, Sonny, are you really doing okay with all of this? I know it must seem to be moving pretty fast." Sonny turned in Will's arms and lifted his to rest on Will's shoulders.

"I am okay. I admit I felt a tad overwhelmed at Babies R Us - that place is monstrous - but I want to be here with you. I want to raise this baby with you; I have no doubts about that."

"Good," Will said pulling Sonny in for a hug, "but promise me you'll let me know when you're feeling like this? Total honesty, remember?" Will could feel Sonny smile into his neck.

"I promise. Do we need to pinky swear?"

"I think we better," Will released Sonny's waist to raise the pinky on his right hand. Firmly hooking their pinkies, they both let their minds drift back to their first pinky swear the day they discovered they had feelings for each other. Sonny smiled warmly. "I think you're thinking what I'm thinking..." said Will, seeing a wistful look cross Sonny's face.

"Hmmm...maybe..." Sonny responded meeting Will's gaze.

"You know, the day at the coffee house, after we confessed our feelings for each other, we pinky swore to always talk to each other..." as if Will needed to jog his memory.

"I remember," Sonny said matter-of-factly, leaning in closer to Will. The lingering smell of Will's soap combined with his warm breath was intoxicating. "That's a fine thought," Sonny said against Will's lips, kissing him softly, gently at first. As their kiss deepened, both sighed with contentment and hummed with pleasure. "But I was thinking of something else entirely..."

Will pulled back slightly and looked at Sonny, brows furrowed, "really? What's that?"

Sonny grinned widely and whispered into Will's ear, "Plan B."


	12. Chapter 12

"Ouch! That hurts!" Will whined as he leaned over to retrieve the last piece of the changing table from the floor. Sonny couldn't hold back his laughter. He chuckled as he wondered to himself which part was hurting Will the most, knowing that there could be several possibilities. "You are so not nice!" Will pouted as he continued to hunch over. Sonny grinned and made his way across the room to Will.

"Sorry...you just look pretty pathetic."

"Uh-huh. This is because of you, you know."

Sonny stopped in his tracks, "No, I don't think so. You were the one last night pushing Plan B."

"Pushing?" Will glared at Sonny, trying to keep from smiling. "I recall you didn't need much persuading..." Sonny continued to make his way to Will and helped him stand up.

Kissing his still-pouting lips, Sonny winked at Will and agreed, "Okay, I usually don't when it comes to you. But if ahh...something hurts...remember whose idea it was."

Will feigned his shock, "I'm not talking about THAT! Jeez!" Sonny shrugged innocently, still holding onto Will's hand. "I'm talking about THIS!" Will shouted and rolled his sweatpants up to his thighs. Sonny gasped and covered his mouth as he stared at the red scabs that covered both his boyfriend's knees.

"Oh my gosh, Will! That's from...us, last night, in this room?" Sonny stammered.

"Yes, dear. These are called 'rug burns' and I got them when you contributed your own brilliant idea to Plan B and flipped me on all fours." Will smirked deviously staring at Sonny as he shifted his gaze from Will's knees to the floor. Sonny looked back up and his brown eyes were filled with genuine concern.

"I am so sorry, Will. I never want to hurt you..." Recovering quickly, Will stepped closer to Sonny and placed a finger on his lips.

"I was teasing," he said gently, "I'll suffer skinned knees anytime if it means having a night like that with you. Umm...you were spectacular."

"WE were spectacular, Will," Sonny managed breathlessly as memories of last night's lovemaking raided his mind.

"Yeah," Will added wistfully, "so does this just keep getting better? Because I'm not sure I can handle more!" Sonny smiled at the thought of his feisty, uninhibited boyfriend's newly discovered talents in bed.

"Very funny, baby," Sonny mumbled and pulled Will into his arms. "You are the crazy one I need to worry about." Sonny nuzzled Will's neck, surprising him with a quick bite before letting go. Will's blue eyes closed briefly, enjoying Sonny's touch.

"I guess we can each believe what we want..." he trailed off opening his eyes to meet brown ones staring intensely at him. "I suppose it just confirms that we are meant for each other."

"I couldn't agree more," Sonny grinned widely, "but I am really sorry about your knees, Will. Maybe we shouldn't...you know...on carpet."

Will cut him off adamantly, "No!" He surprised himself and Sonny with his sharp response. Mellowing a bit, "no, Sonny," he repeated and cradled his boyfriend's face in his hands. "Last night was really amazing. Just buy me some knee pads, okay?"

Hours later the changing table was finally fully assembled, and Will and Sonny were relaxed on the couch watching a Cubs game. Will's pants still up over his knees, Sonny placed gentle kisses on each, whispering, "I'll kiss them and make them better." Will ran his fingers through Sonny's thick locks and sat back, enjoying the tenderness of the moment. Once the baby arrived, time like this will be more of the exception rather than the rule.

"Really?" Will grumbled as they were interrupted by several firm knocks on the front door.

The two exchanged puzzled glances, and Sonny remarked sardonically, "who might it be now? Maybe this time it's your Mom or my Dad..." Shaking his head, Will got up, checked through the peep hole and opened the door to Sonny's Mom.

"Will," Adrienne gave him a quick hug, "I know I should have called, but I was in the neighborhood. Is it okay that I stopped by?"

Standing, Sonny walked to his Mom and embraced her tightly, "Of course, Mom. Come on in." Sonny stepped aside to let her in.

"Adrienne, can I get you something to drink?" Will asked politely.

"Water would be great. Thanks, Will."

"So," Sonny inquired, "what are you doing in this neighborhood?"

"Well, your father is meeting with a client somewhere around here, and he asked me to meet him at the Italian place down the block for dinner. While I was walking around, I found the cutest outfit for a baby girl, so I had to buy it and bring it over." Adrienne smiled sheepishly and reached into her oversized purse. Pulling out a bright pink bag, Will started to get nervous. Sonny saw it and pleaded with him silently to give her a chance before passing judgement. Sonny knew that Will was expecting his Mom to pull out a very pink, very frilly, very girly dress from that bag. Instead, Adrienne opened the bag and removed a matching set in turquoise. The top, which was more the length of a tunic, had purple striped sleeves and matching leggings. On the front was a small heart in red sequins with the phrase "Daddy's Girl" written above it.

Worried about the bling, Sonny looked at his Mom, not knowing completely how to address Will's quirky opposition to overtly feminine attire. Before he could even get a word out, Will rushed over to Adrienne and put his arm around her, holding onto a sleeve of the outfit. "This is perfect!" he exclaimed and the sparkle in his eye was genuine. "Sonny, this is exactly like what I was hoping we'd find yesterday. Fun, not too girly and so cute! I love that it says 'Daddy's Girl'. Thank you so much, Adrienne!"

"You are welcome. I'm so glad you like it. This place had a lot of other outfits like this one. We should go there sometime." Lost in their own world, neither realized that Sonny was staring at the both of them, mouth half open as if he intended to say something.

"Sonny, are you okay?" Will asked teasingly. "What, are you surprised that your Mother and I agree on baby clothes? I think maybe we," he said gesturing between Adrienne and himself, "have the same taste. I'm not sure where you get yours. Maybe I should just shop with your Mom from now on?" Sonny finally shut his mouth as Will and his Mom laughed conspiratorially.

"Ha, ha," Sonny tried to appear hurt, "I like it too! I was just a little worried about the sequins, you know, the 'too girly' issue you have, Will."

"Sequins are more playful than girly, Sonny," Adrienne chimed in.

"Yeah, this is clearly an outfit for a girl but it doesn't seem nearly as oppressive as the flowery number you picked out yesterday," Will contributed.

"Flowers?" Adrienne questioned looking at her son with concern.

"Yes, Mom. It was a pretty dress in yellow with flowers and a cardigan. It had a couple of ruffles at the bottom...I thought it was cute."

Adrienne glanced at Will who was making a face and shaking his head, "No, it wasn't cute," Will said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever, Will!" Sonny frowned looking back and forth from his Mom to his boyfriend. "This outfit is great. Thanks, Mom." Sonny was excited that they finally agreed on the baby's home-from-the-hospital outfit. He couldn't continue pretending to be mad when he was so overwhelmed with happiness. His Mom, whom he loved so much, and his boyfriend, whom he loved more than anyone in the world, were talking and giggling, ecstatic about the birth of this little girl. Not being able to resist them, Sonny joined in, "you know what would be cute with it? A pair of red booties!" "Yes!" Adrienne and Will laughed agreeing with Sonny.

'Stop calling, stop calling, I don't want to talk anymore...' Adrienne's phone started singing. "Oh, that must be your father! Hello, Justin?" she greeted, ending the song.

"Your Mom has Lady Gaga & Beyonce as her ringtone?" Will chuckled, smiling at Sonny.

"Oh yeah, that is her special ringtone for Dad."

"Sorry guys," Adrienne hung up her phone. "Justin is done with his meeting and will be here shortly. He's excited to see you both. Do you two want to join us for dinner?" Reading each other's minds, Will and Sonny both said "no" simultaneously.

"Thanks for the offer, Mom, but Will and I were up late putting together the changing table, so we're hoping to retire early tonight. Thanks for the offer, though."

"Yeah," Will added, "can we take a rain check?"

"Absolutely! Next time I'll give you a bit more notice."

Within 10 minutes Justin had arrived and they all sat down to chat before splitting up for dinner. "So, Dad, you had a client meeting somewhere around here?"

"Yes, Sonny, actually it wasn't really a client, it was more like a contact." Justin explained.

"Contact?" Will inquired.

"Yes, I go way back with this guy, and he tends to be up on the latest projects of the FBI. His former law partner is FBI now, so he can often get more information than I typically can on my own." Justin paused, looking from Will to Sonny to Adrienne. "He had some interesting insight regarding the visit you got from the FBI the other day."

"Really?" Adrienne was curious, too.

"Yes, I guess there have been several tips suggesting that the accounting firm you use, Sonny, for Common Grounds' more advanced bookkeeping and taxes, are suspected of being involved in some shady endeavors."

"Dad, what does that mean for us?" Sonny peered at him from the corners of his eyes. "What do I need to do to get the FBI to lay off of us? Do I need to change accounting firms?"

"For now, there isn't anything you can do but sit tight. They are in their initial stages of the investigation. But they are focusing on the outside vendor you use, so your business might be in the clear if they do discover something. You may not be culpable since they are an external partner."

Sonny let out a sigh of relief, "that's good to hear, Dad. Thank you."

"Now, Sonny, I'm not saying you are out of the woods entirely. This is an ongoing investigation and when it comes to terrorist funding, our government tends to take that quite seriously. Keep going about your normal business. If I hear more, I'll let you know." Justin finished and stood to leave. "Come on, Mama. Let's get to dinner...I'm starving!"

Sonny walked his Mom and Dad to the door, "Thank you - both of you! Mom for the outfit and Dad for the advice." Sonny hugged them both together. "There's got to be more to this than we can even imagine..." Sonny replied with confidence in his voice. "I need to get to the bottom of this. Who has got this much power? Surely not Nick! Maybe he had other connections. Oh well, you two better get to your dinner!" And with a wave to both Sonny and Will, the Kiriakis' were off.

Collapsing back on the couch, Will tucked himself into the crook of Sonny's arm. "We're going to keep checking this out, Sonny, until we get answers." Pausing he added softly, "Do you trust me?"

Sonny raised his eyebrows skeptically, "Yes, Will, I do love you and trust you. Why?"

"Just know this," Will said quite seriously, "I have a few connections of my own, and I intend to use them as much as I can to help figure this mess out." Sonny smiled at Will; he loved it when Will got all protective on him.

Holding him even tighter, Sonny whispered, "Thank you, Will." Will picked his head up to meet Sonny's eyes, "I'll always be by your side, you gotta' know that."

"I do," Sonny said lovingly. "Wait - " suddenly changing his tone, "did they just call that guy out? He had already touched the bag! Get some glasses umps!" And with that Sonny and Will resumed watching the game, forgetting at least for the rest of that evening about the FBI and their investigation into Common Grounds, Nick and his ploy to get Will to relinquish custody, and rug burns, which would take at least a few days to heal.


	13. Chapter 13

"Sure, that will work just fine. Thanks for calling Maxine. I'll see you tomorrow at the other clinic at 2:15pm." Gabi put down her cell phone and yelled to Nick, who was finishing getting ready for work. She was so comfortable in bed, she didn't want to have to get up. With only about one month left of her pregnancy, Gabi was finding just about every activity she attempted nearly impossible. Tie her shoes? That's the least of her worries. She can't even get her underwear on by herself anymore. "Nick..." she tried again hoping he'd stop back in the bedroom before leaving. Nothing. "Crap," she mumbled. "Ha, I'll just text him!" she said to herself excitedly.

"Text who?" Nick was in the doorway, tie in one hand, laptop bag in his other.

"Oh! You are still here. I thought you left already."

Nick shook his head and walked toward the bed. "And leave without saying good-bye?"

Gabi looked at him apologetically, "I'm sorry I've been so cranky with you lately. I thought you might be mad at me after I got so angry with you last night. It's just that my feet are swollen, I'm so fat all I see is belly when I look in the mirror, and I've gone from worrying about everything to hardly caring about anything at all. I just can't wait to have this baby."

Nick cupped her jaw gently. "You are so beautiful to me, and that's all I see when I look at you. We'll make it through this last month together, okay?" With a soft kiss, Nick waved and headed for the door.

"Oh, Nick!" Gabi suddenly remembered why she called for him in the first place.

"Yes, Gabi," he peeked his head back in.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "our Dr appointment got rescheduled from today to tomorrow at 2:15pm. And it's at the clinic across town instead of by the hospital. I guess Dr Davis is out today, so we'll meet with him tomorrow instead. Does that work okay for you?"

He nodded, "sure. I'll make it work. You know I wouldn't miss this."

"Thanks. You are a wonderful guy, you know that?" Gabi smiled at him from across the room. "And also, could you tell Will and Sonny that the sonogram was rescheduled? I know at least Will was planning on being there, but if you would let him know the new time and location, that's one less thing I have to worry about remembering."

Smiling back at her, Nick replied, "sure, I'll let Will and Sonny know. Now, you lay back and get some rest. I love you Gabi."

"Mmm...love you, too..." she mumbled as she drifted back off to sleep.

(((((()))))))

Will let go of Sonny's hand, got up from his chair and started to pace. "The clock in here says 2:30, is that what time you have, too?" Sonny glanced at his watch and nodded.

"Yep, Will, 2:30. You are sure Nick said 2:15?"

"Yes," Will said starting to get angry, "I'm sure. There must be something up, they are never late like this. And Dr Davis? I wonder why he's not here either?" Sonny watched Will drag nervous fingers through his hair as he continued to move around the waiting room.

"That's it, I'm going to go check at the information desk."

"Wait, no, Sonny. Nick told me we could just meet them by our regular room. So, let's just give them 5 more minutes, okay?"

"You are really going to believe Nick?" Will moved back over by Sonny and knelt down in front of him.

Touching his cheek lightly, Will said, "I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. And I'm sorry I snapped. I'm just getting a little uptight. We're less than four weeks away, and I'm pretty anxious."

"Really? I couldn't tell." Sonny teased and pulled him in for a hug. "Don't worry, Will. It'll all be fine. We'll make it through this last month together, okay?" Will was still amazed at his good fortune. He had a daughter on the way and the most wonderful boyfriend who actually wanted to raise this baby with him.

"You are right, Son. I am really lucky, you know. I just need to settle a bit, hah?" he leaned back and grinned.

"Yeah," Sonny replied, "but if we don't see them in five minutes, I'm going to ask someone."

"Fine," Will agreed and sat back down beside Sonny.

"Will, I've waited five extra minutes, so now I'm going to try to get more information. You stay put; I'll be right back." Sonny got up from his chair and set off into the hallway. While Sonny was gone, Will let his mind drift to his apartment, how the nursery was almost completely ready for his daughter's arrival. He already had locks on some of his lower cupboards and plugs in the electric outlets. He always believed that you could never be to safe. Well, except when he had sex with Gabi. That wasn't safe at all. And now here he was at nineteen, waiting for a sonogram appointment to see the daughter he created with someone he never loved. Shaking his head to shift his focus, he was surprised to see Sonny back so soon.

"Well, the time was right for the appointment." Puzzled, Will asks, "so why aren't they here?" "Because Nick failed to tell you that not only did the day and time change but the location did, too!" Sonny sounded perturbed. "The appointment got moved to the clinic on Main Street, not this one." Exasperated, Will grabbed his bag and walked with Sonny quickly down the hallway to the front doors. "How could Nick forget to tell me that?" Will mused, hurt. Even after Nick made his intentions clear that he wanted custody of this baby, Will still refused to see him as a totally 'bad' person. "Or maybe he did tell me, and I just wasn't listening," Will relented. "Will," Sonny cut him off, his voice raised, "this is not your fault. Nick screwed this up for us on purpose. You can't deny that all of these things happening have to be more than a coincidence." "I know, Sonny. Why is it so hard for me to see Nick for who he really is?" Will started to berate himself. "Dammit, Will!" Sonny was angry now, "stop blaming yourself! You are kind and understanding - which I love about you - but you are also too trusting of people who don't deserve it. Now is the time for you to get tough about this. You told me a while ago that you learned that you need to fight for what you want. Well, this is one of those times. You need to fight for your daughter and not allow Nick to convince you to sign away your parental rights."

"You're always right, you know? I'm getting a little tired of it." Will teased as he took Sonny's clenched hand from the steering wheel and held it in his own. "It's not about be being right, Will," Sonny said softly, "it's about recognizing that you are a necessary part of your daughter's life. She needs you and always will, even if you question that now. And you need her. Don't give up the fight, Will, before we've even gotten started. You have a lot of people behind you in this." "I know, thank you. I'm going to confront Nick about this once we get to the clinic. And I'm going to push the issue again of me being allowed in the delivery room when she's born." "Good," Sonny's temper subsided, as he encouraged Will, "because as this baby's father, you have every right to be part of her birth."

"Hi," Will said as he pushed open the door to the exam room where Gabi and Nick had been for the last 40 minutes.

"Will!" Gabi smiled, "I wondered where you were? I didn't think you would miss this." With Sonny in tow, Will came in first, stood tall, arms crossed and focused his gaze entirely on Nick, who seemed surprised at their presence.

"Yeah, I thought we might not make it," he spoke glaring at Nick.

"Well, if..." Sonny began but Will cut him off. "If we wouldn't have had car trouble, we would have been here on time. Sorry to be late." Looking back at Sonny, Will gave him his best apologetic smile. He hadn't planned to **not** tell Gabi what Nick had done to keep them from this appointment. But at the spur of the moment, Will realized that he might be able to use Nick's deliberate omission to their advantage. So, he reached back for Sonny's hand, grabbed it to reassure him that he had this under control. Squeezing back, Sonny let Will take the lead, proud of his boyfriend's growing self-confidence.

"Don't worry, Will and Sonny," Cameron said kindly, "I was late, too." Will smiled at his understanding. "We just finished the sonogram but everything is still right here, so if Gabi doesn't mind, we can take another look?"

Will's "that would be great" was drowned out by Nick, "Gabi, we are meeting Rafe right after this, remember? We already don't have much time."

Gabi put her hand on Nick's knee gently, "C'mon, Nick. I can call my brother to let him know we'll be a little late. I want to let Will and Sonny see our baby girl." She nodded her approval to Cameron.

"Thanks so much, Gabi," Will said genuinely, "it really means a lot." Sonny held tighter to his hand as they stepped further into the room closer to Gabi and the monitor.

"Here she is," Cameron honed right in on Arianna, who appeared to be sucking her thumb.

"Wow," Sonny couldn't contain himself as he watched Will's daughter squirm on the screen.

"There's Arianna Grace," Will said excitedly, not able to take his eyes off of her. "She looks like she has her thumb in her mouth? Can she do that in there?" Cameron and Gabi laughed at Will's naiveté.

"You bet she can," Gabi responded, "and she's doing some serious kicking, too. She seems to hit my bladder square on every single time. I feel like I always have to pee."

"I'm afraid that her movement will continue to feel more pronounced in your last weeks. She's growing very rapidly now, so you'll feel and see a lot this last month. Have you heard of pregnant women likening their baby's movement to the movie 'Alien'? It won't surprise me if you see a random fist or foot pushing your belly out in strange ways." They all laughed at the visual. "This last month will be hard for you, Gabi, and your discomfort will only increase. But it's also the most amazing time of your pregnancy as you all prepare to welcome Arianna into this world. You are really lucky to have three wonderful men supporting you through this."

Leaving Gabi and Nick in the room to get dressed, Will, Sonny and Cameron stop to talk briefly in the hallway. "Dr. Davis, thank you so much for being willing to do another sonogram for us. That was amazing." Sonny reached out a hand to shake Cameron's, clearly moved by the experience. "No problem guys. Nick seemed quite anxious to get going, but I know how important this is to you both. So, I was glad I could help."

Will hugged Cameron quickly, "it really meant a lot to us. Thanks." Cameron smiled at them once more before taking his leave.

Nick emerged from the room, met Will and Sonny's eyes and moved toward them. "So you had car trouble?" he inquired smugly.

"You know we didn't Nick. And I don't appreciate you withholding information from me. Thanks to Gabi and Cameron, we were actually able to see my daughter, even if it was quick."

"Will," Nick feigned shock, "I don't know what you mean? I texted you all the changes to the appointment. It's not my fault if your phone cut off some of the information." Will inhaled through his nose and let out a heavy sigh through tense lips.

"Nick," he started calmly, "you are a first rate asshole. You think you are so clever, planning all the ways to keep us from my daughter. While you may have Gabi, and maybe Rafe, fooled, we know who you really are. And we know what you are up to." Nick was still looking at Will and Sonny apathetically.

"Think what you want, Will..."

"Oh, I plan to," Will responded tersely, not at all backing down. "Here's the best part, Nick, and I want you to think long and hard about what I'm about to say." He paused to make sure he had Nick's undivided attention. "You can marry Gabi, put your name on the birth certificate and raise this baby as your own, but I will always hold one more trump card than you, Nick. You see, I've got biology on my side. And no matter what you do or say, that little girl will always share my DNA, not yours." Will enunciated his last words and punctuated them with a fist to his chest. "And when we're in family court, each presenting our case for why we should have sole custody of Arianna, the DNA piece is going to be quite powerful. That and the information we have about Gabi's role in Melanie's kidnapping and your relationship with one certain inmate, what's his name?" he looked to Sonny for help.

"Vargas," Sonny said firmly without hesitation.

"Oh yes, that's it," Will turned back in plenty of time to see a very stunned and fearful look make its way across Nick's face. "Your relationship with Vargas. See, I've recently learned quite a bit about your time in prison, Nick. In fact just last night, EJ told me that your buddy Vargas is being released next week. We'll make sure to tell him you say 'hi'." Turning on their heels together, Will and Sonny left Nick standing there, mouth open in shock, wondering how in the hell they found out his darkest secret.


End file.
